


Phoenixes have Healing Tears

by mindbending_kittenqueen15



Category: Avengers Endgame (2019) - Fandom, Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Captain Marvel does not exist, Eventual Smut, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Loki is highly overprotective, MAJOR Infinity War and Endgame Spoilers !!, My First Smut, Peter Parker is a Good Bro, Scott is a dork, Stephen is a softie, Steve Rogers Is a Good Bro, Thanos is an idiot, The Author Regrets Nothing, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, tony stark is a dad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2020-04-24 15:00:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 33
Words: 48,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19175725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mindbending_kittenqueen15/pseuds/mindbending_kittenqueen15
Summary: Colette Stark, Michelin-starred chef and a technological genius with two PhDs, is Tony Stark's adopted daughter. In addition to her academic achievements, Colette also possesses a rare gift:- Magic. A certain Master of the Mystic Arts offers to help her, but destiny has different plans for them.Who knows? Reality is known to be surprising.*rated mature for graphic violence, language and sexual content*





	1. To have a Family

15th October, 1992

 

The cloaked figure put the cradle down on the grass. It threw back its hood to reveal a woman, with scarlet locks which went down to her waist. In the cradle, lay a baby, no older than a few weeks, swaddled in heavy blankets. With tears in her eyes, the woman stroked the baby's cheek.

"I'm sorry,little one. But,I promise your new family will love you no less."

With that, she murmured something under her breath as scarlet-gold glyphs appeared on the baby's forehead. The fiery red hair disappeared and her matching auburn eyes lost their red colouration. The woman turned almost transclucent as golden threads escaped her temples and entered the baby's body. She planted a last kiss on her child's forehead, before wearing the yellow hood again.

''Good Bye, sweet child.''

And the woman vanished as the next gust of wind passed by.

* * *

It had almost been 30 minutes since the baby was placed there, and the highlands had not been visited by a single person.

 

Until now.

 

The newly wed couple stumbled by the cradle. The ginger-haired woman picked the baby up.

''Tony! Look at her, she's so beautiful!''

''Pepper,put the baby back where you found it.''

Tony Stark wasn't fond of kids. And finding abandoned girls in the middle of their honeymoon did not excite him.

''Tones, but she's clearly orphaned and will perish if left here.'' She reasoned.

Pepper was wrong about the last part. The child seemed exceptionally lively to see Tony. Giggling softly, she placed her tiny palm on the mechanic's cheek, fiddling with his reknowned goatee.

''I think she likes you!''

''Nonsense. She likes my goatee more.''

Laughing hysterically, Pepper handed the baby over to Tony, who stared bewildered in the girl's eyes.

''Her eyes, they're-they're .........red.'' He stuttered.

''I know,she's unique.''

The baby seemed to have a changing effect on Tony because the moment she touched him, his chocolate-brown eyes softened.

''Well Colette's my daughter now.''

Pepper raised an eyebrow,''So you've named her already.''

Drawing an imaginary banner,she continued,''Tony Stark:- Genius,billionaire,playboy,philanthrophist AND a Dad.''

''You have a problem, Miss?''

She kissed his cheek,''That's my Tony.''

 

The baby, curious of her rescuers, tilted her head innocently. Her eyes, flaming red speckled with gold, glinted with hope. Touching Tony's cheek again, she said her first word:-

''Daadaa.''

* * *

''I'M A GOD, YOU DULL CREATURE! And I will not be bullied by- AaahH!!''

Loki yelled at the green monster, who picked him by his cape and smashed him into the floor.

''Puny God.''

Loki was left paralysed into the ground. He lay quietly, shocked.

_That did not just happen._

Every inch of his body throbbed in pain. He'd known pain, this was just a minor setback. Or was it?

He wanted to go back to Frigga, who was perhaps the only person in the universe who understood him.

He wanted to tell her that he'd failed.

Again.

He felt ashamed, to fail again and again and again. Should he fight?

No. The Chitauri were doing their job well.

HE was not.

Just as he was giving up all hope he heard something.

Frigga? No, it was impossible for her to visit Midgard.

A girl's voice. A calming voice.

''To far Doctor Banner, too far.'' It said

Loki shuddered as the frightening familiar voice replied, or rather, shouted.

''Evil god!''

''I know, but THAT was savage.'' She continued,''I'm going to check on him, if he isn't dead already.''

Loki watched as a girl, probably in her teenage approached him. Her hair was flaming red which fell back to her waist, and she had the most spectacular pair of eyes. They were like the leaping flames of the Eternal Fire, changing colour from scarlet to golden periodically. She kneeled down towards him,doing so without fear. He wanted to shout out to her, that he, Loki of Asgard, would not like to be tended to by a Midgardian. But he chose to stay quiet, and watch with fascination. 

''Are you okay?'' She asked tenderly,''I saw what Doctor Banner did there.''

Loki, truthfully, shook his head. In some cases,the God of Mischief just couldn't lie.

''Let's see,then.''

The girl touched his cheek gently, yet firmly.

''4 broken ribs, 12 fractures, skull slightly cracked, spinal cord grazed and a WHOLE lot of other injuries, I wouldn't want to name.''

Loki sighed. He'd been dragging himself in potentially life-threatening missions these days.

''It's fine, you know. Dad's brought me cases worse than your's.'' She reassured him, as if being able to read his mind.

He nodded weakly at his recent diagnosis and shot her a smile, painful, yet filled with gratitude, before loosing consciousness as he submitted to the soothing sensation washing over him.

* * *

 

Loki woke up, startled. He found himself in quite a fashionable room. 

_Oh no._

He looked around frantically for an exit, or at least his armor. He was dressed in pajamas and would HATE to be seen in such a lowly piece of apparel. Just as he was about to aim a powerful kick at the door, a highly mechanical female voice spoke out of seemingly nowhere.

''Miss Stark, the Prince has awaken.''

No less than 5 seconds later the door knob turned and the same red-haired girl came in, along with Stark.

And Thor.

But Loki didn't care. All he wanted to do was thank his rescuer and possibly get out of this prison.Now.

The girl smiled sweetly at the god, much to her father's displeasure.

''How long have I been in-in....here?'' Loki asked, wording his question carefully.

''A week. You were in a coma.'' Smiling proudly, she continued,''I healed you.''

''Thank you.'' And that was perhaps the first time, Loki had ever thanked a mortal. 

Mortal? Maybe not. For the aura this girl held around her was unique, magical....... and a kind Loki had never witnessed before in thousand years.

''Oh it's no big of a deal.'' She brushed it off,'' But I would really appreciate if SOMEONE would just stop cursing.''

She glanced angrily at her father, who not in the least bit looked guilty.

''Reindeer Games here, killed 80 people in two days.'' Tony reasoned,'' He isn't safe enough for YOU to go near.''

''Well, I believe that everyone deserves a second chance.''

Thor looked up at her,'' He already did.''

''Third time's the charm then!'' The girl said, her voice raising up several octaves,'' The point is, he _needs_ a chance to prove himself. Don't you sweetheart?''

She looked at Loki, expecting an answer.

He sighed,'' Yes,I most certainly do.'' 

She threw her arms in the air,''It's done then. Friday, I need you to get the men out.''

''As you wish, Miss.'' The robotic voice echoed again as two mechanical arms pushed Tony and Thor out.

'' Don't you dare, Fri!'' Tony snarled.

But the voice coolly replied,''Sorry, Boss.''

 

The red-haired Stark heaved a sigh and extended her hand towards Loki.

''Colette Stark, I didn't introduce myself properly back then.''

Loki smiled at Colette,''Loki Odinson.''

_Odinson._ The words struck him like a dagger. It was force of habit which made him introduce himself as Odin's son.

A fake name, with false recognition. 

Loki's face became clouded with sadness

''It's okay if you're adopted.'' Colette said softly,''I am too.''

He perked up at the statement,''You are?''

Taking his hand in hers, she continued,'' Mom and Dad found me in Ireland.''

''But they-they..love you like their own.'' Loki stuttered, confused.

''Adoptive parents have far more greater value than birth ones.''

Loki looked at her sadly. Frigga had said the same words to him.

And he always took her for granted.

_Always._

Colette watched as the god gazed at the floor. He did not deserve the fate Odin had decided. She'd argued with the Allfather all day to let him stay at the tower, without any punishment.

Loki was taken by surprise as the girl wrapped her arms around him.

''What are you doing?''

''It's called a hug.''

Yes, hugs.

Something Loki had never liked. Those horrible moments when Thor would almost crush him to death.

_But No. This was different. Very different._

This couldn't be compared to the masculine terror Thor had showered him with.

Because, this was filled with  _love._ Pure love, true and strong. 

The type he'd felt with only one person in his entire lifetime: Frigga.

Colette pulled away from him.

''Breakfast's getting cold downstairs.'' She checked her watch,'' I expect you to be there in no less than 5 minutes, so hurry up. The armor's in the wardrobe.''

She opened the door, and flashed one of her charming smiles.

Before she left though, she said cheekily,

''Oh yeah, and you're also my 8th official brother now.''

Loki smirked.

He liked this girl, and in years to come, he'd be the 'sibling' she bonded with the most.

* * *

 

 

 


	2. The Master of the Mystic Arts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This the chapter where we finally meet the charming doctor!

**_ Five years later. _ **

 

The scarlet-golden energy escaped from Colette's palm and radiated around her, before dissipating into the air.

 

''You have to learn to control it.'' Loki said, peeking up from his book.

 

''I'm trying my best.'' She moaned, fidgeting with her auburn curls.

 

''Then try harder.'' He insisted.

 

She let out an exasperated sigh before focusing on her magic again. This time though, her eyes lit up with a magenta glow as a ring of scarlet sparks hovered around her. They burst outwards, cracking everything in a hundred-meter radius. She felt weightlessness for a moment, swayed and fell backwards. She would have hit the floor hard if her highly overprotective brother hadn't caught her in mid-air. Colette was petite and extremely thin. The regular 'magic control' sessions were literally 'feeding' off her energy and it wasn't unusual to see her pass out cold after the practice. Loki and Wanda, as magic wielders, would often help their sister, but in vain. Colette's magic behaved differently. It would not cast spells or work through telekinesis. The trio had upturned libraries for information, and even asked the help of the All Father himself, though all these efforts brought them no results.

He laid her down on her bed and shook his head. There HAD to be some way to help her.

* * *

 

 

  ** _A month later._**

 

Colette had developed circles under her eyes. The bright scarlet colouration of her hair and eyes started to fade. Her magical 'aura' began to get dimmer with each passing day and she kept running a high temperature. 

Loki knew he  **had** to take a stand. 

As he walked through New York, wearing a green hoodie and jeans, he spotted it. The strange structure contrasted greatly from the highly modernized constructions of the city.

This building was the New York Sanctum Sanctorum, home of the Master of the Mystic Arts. 

Loki remembered the highly snarky wizard who had trapped him in an infinite abyss for 30 minutes. He also remembered that he used to be a  _doctor_. Earning a few angry glances, the god entered the ancient establishment, doing so with caution as he explored around. The Sanctum had the same booky air every time-worn library possessed. Concealed in glass cases, were magical relics, each waiting to be released.

_One which even looked like the Tesseract._

No. The Tesseract was safe at Asgard. Loki had long lost the longing for it. But seeing the magical object so near, so unprotected, tempted him. 

 _It wouldn't hurt to try, would it?_ Loki thought as he approached the cube, it's mystical blue radiation hypnotizing him. His fingers were centimeters away from the Tesseract, when fiery-orange whips coiled around him. He let out a surprised yelp as the blue cube disappeared. 

''I knew you'd fall for that one.'' A deep voice echoed,''What do you want from the Sanctum?''

The Sorcerer Supreme emerged from the shadows, with large orange blades in each palm. His iconic red Cloak fluttered behind him, though there was no wind.

''I'll tell you if you keep your defenses lowered.'' Loki snarled, trying to wriggle out from the coils.

''No can do.''

_Oh come on!_

''Fine.'' Loki said through gritted teeth,''I need your help.''

Strange's lips curled into an amused smirk,'' Loki, the God of Mischief and Lies, the legend. The Prince of Asgard has been lowered to asking help from a mere mortal!!''

Loki rolled his eyes.  _Strange just **had** to make it worse._ He tried not to sound needy,''My sister, she's-she's been sick for over a month.''

The doctor's smirk widened,'' I don't play doctor anymore.''

''She'll die if you don't help her.''

The smile wiped off from the sorcerer's face.  _'She'll die if you don't help her.'_ the words rang out in his head. A 'she' had died because of him. Not saving another's would mean failing her. He lowered the blades and the whips uncoiled from Loki. 

''Where is she now?'' He asked.

''At the Avengers Facility.'' Loki replied. Stephen drew his sling ring out and opened a portal to the compound.

And the first sight they saw was Tony and Pepper  _kissing_.

Walking through the portal proudly, he announced with a theatrical flourish,''Tony Stark, I'm Doctor Stephen Strange.''

The couple pulled apart immediately and Pepper gripped the mechanic's arm.

Perplexed, Tony asked,''I'm sorry but you giving tickets or some'?''

Stephen suddenly had the strong desire to trap this man in the Dark Dimension for all of eternity.  _How dare he?_

''I need you to show me your daughter.''  

''And why should I do that?''

The Cloak had to physically restrain her master from clenching his fists. 

''Because he might be the only one to cure  **our** Coco.'' Loki said as he stepped through.

Pepper walked up to the sorcerer,''Can you really?'' Stephen nodded at at the woman.

Tony pointed at him,'' But he's a  **wizard.** A REAL-LIFE WIZARD!'' Just as Stephen was going to give the mechanic a reply that would've shut him up, another voice piped up.

''A WIZARD? Where!?!'' The 16 year-old boy looked at Stephen excitedly. He extended his hand,''I'm Peter by the way.''

''Doctor Strange.'' The teenager took a step backwards,'' Oh, so you're using your made up names. I'm Spider-man then.''

''It isn't a made up-'' The doctor rolled his eyes,''I have dimensions to protect and if you're just going to mock me and waste my time, I'll be going on my way.''

Tony sighed and gestured Stephen to follow him,'' This way, Dumbledore.'' 

_Stephen chose to ignore that nickname._

* * *

 

 

**_Later_ **

"So do you have a wand? Or are brooms your thing? Oooh, what about magic hats.'' Peter showered Stephen with seemingly infinite questions. It became so annoying that after a while, Tony himself had to stop him,''I don't another pop-culture reference out of you.'' 

Stephen shook his head,''I am sorry but I'm confused with the relationship here.'' He pointed at the boy,''What is he, your ward?''

Tony,opening a door,replied,''As a matter-of-fact,yes. He is.''

Colette was sprawled out on the bed, looking weaker than ever. Her hair was ruffled, and her bones could be seen. Though in this disheveled state, she was beautiful. A rare beauty, like one Stephen had never seen. As soon as he saw her sleep-deprived face, his doctor instincts kicked in. But Stephen knew that his knowledge in the medical-science wasn't going to save her. Though faint, her aura could be felt, and it screamed one thing:  **Magic**. His eyes softened. He leaned in closer to her, a puff of golden energy passed from his fingers to her temples as he whispered,''Wake up.''

Colette's eyes flew open. She sat up on the bed, startled. Her eyes scanned the room, her father was looking at her from across the bed, Loki leaned on the door and there was this extremely handsome man sitting besides her. Pointing at him, she asked weakly,''Who's he?''

''He's the new doctor I hired.'' Tony answered her, enough to gain a glare from Stephen.

Stephen smiling, extended his hand,''I'm Doctor Stephen Strange.''

She returned his smile,''Colette.'' She moved forth to do a proffesional handshake.

 _But something happened._ The moment her and Stephen's fingers touched, their eyes erupted in a blazing glow. Her scarlet eyes, lit up a metallic gold while his stormy blue ones glowed a steady aqua. And through that brief touch,Colette regained half of her energy. In natural reflex, she pulled her hand back, while he inspected his in fascination,''Interesting.'' And nobody other than the Doctor, Chef and Cloak saw the magical moment. Colette looked at him curiously, tilting her head like an innocent child. 

Stephen snapped his fingers a cup of coffee appeared in her hands. She couldn't help but blurt out,''Are you a wizard?''

He narrowed his eyes,''The prefered term is Master of the Mystic Arts. And yes, your coffee is real.'' 

She sipped on what seemed like the best coffee she'd ever had. 

''I need you to put your palms together.'' He said, demonstrating.

Colette set the mug down on the desk and did as she was told.

''Feel the energy around you.'' Though it didn't make any sense, she followed. At first, she felt nothing. But then a force, oppressed against her.

''Hmmm. I feel it.''

''Great, now concentrate it towards your palms. When I say so, pull them apart.'' 

She nodded. Closing her eyes, she focused and felt her palms get warmer.

_''Now.''_

She pulled them apart. Between her hands were bands of pure crystalline-gold light energy. Tony, who had been eyeing the two suspiciously, stared at the magic. Loki and Wanda exchanged smiles and Peter watched, speechless.

Colette managed to keep the bands intact for a few seconds before passing out again. This time though, she seemed visibily relieved.

''WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?'' Both Tony and Loki yelled in unison. But Stephen just smiled,'' I did nothing. She'll be alright now.''

He handed the dark-haired prince an earthen pot.

''What is this, if I may ask?'' 

''A green tea and chrysanthemum concoction.'' He answered, before creating a portal,''Brew it for Miss Stark every day and she'll cure two times as fast.''

With that, the mystical doctor left with an egoistical pride, as his cloak swayed behind him majestically.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it. I know that I refered to the Cloak as she, it's a personal opinion. I won't be posting the next chapter in a while 'cause my exams are coming up. Do note that this will be the average size of all my chapters. Thanks to everyone who read my work! And as always, don't hesitate to inform me about any mistakes. Bye till next time!!
> 
> P.S. I love you guys!!!?!!


	3. Are Doctors Worthy?

It had been more than two weeks since Stephen had healed Colette. The tea was working wonders. It wasn't long before she was up on her feet again, much to Loki's happiness. Ever since she'd conjured the bands, her magic didn't seem to burst out of control. And for some reason, Colette desperately wanted to see Stephen again.

* * *

The Avengers had gone on another of their missions, all of which included leaving behind Peter, Colette and Vision alone at the Facility. The only thing keeping Colette sane was the collection of medieval literary works she owned, excluding the fact that she had to run 16 restaurants, rather than sulk around which Tony expected her to do. Peter as usual, was off to school. Pepper wouldn't let him accompany the others on missions, even though she knew that the boy was much stronger than Steve and Tony combined. Vision had almost no say in the matter, as Loki had entrusted him to 'babysit' Colette and Peter. Colette had pleaded to join them, being skilled in the martial arts herself, only to be denied on the pretext that 'she was  _too_  young and would get hurt'. But that wasn't true, she was a 25 year old woman and yet was being treated as a girl of 8.

She sighed irritably and stretched out on the sofa, with a piece of Shakespearean literature in her hands. She'd read the book over a thousand times now, so much so that she'd learnt all the lines by heart. She opened the book to one of her favorite excerpts, as she sipped on the mug of coffee in her  other hand. Peter would be coming home from his basketball practice anytime now. Colette had asked Friday to play a soft orchestral piece, to  help her relax. This was her regular routine now, to wait as her 'family' went on fantastical adventures. Vision watched as she read the book frustrated.

''Do you want me to get you something,Miss Stark?'' He asked, approaching her. She raised her mug,''It's OK, I have my coffee.'' The peaceful environment was interrupted by Peter, who came complaining about his Chemistry test.

Just then, there was a clap of thunder and lightening flashed. The Avengers had returned. ''It was quite an exciting battle!'' Thor laughed, who could be heard from the compound.

''I'd hardly doubt that. The creature was extremely powerful.'' Steve replied as the god flopped on the couch. Loki passed by Colette and opened the refrigerator to grab water.

''So, how did it go?'' She asked, preparing the ingredients for a fine three-course meal. ''Nothing too great, just a Sharktopus attacking Moscow.'' She looked at him bemused,''Sharktopus?'' 

"It wasn't a 'Sharktopus' but rather, a highly dangerous being who would've destroyed the city if I hadn't helped.'' A cold voice corrected. Colette turned around to see the doctor enter proudly through the door. He seemed quite happy to see her.

"How are you?'' He asked cordially. "Fine actually." She replied,"All thanks to you." Colette could have sworn she saw his 'cape' move. Her thoughts were interrupted by the Tony.

''Sweet cheeks, do you think you can make dinner quickly? I don't know about you but I'm terribly hungry.''

She nodded exasperatedly before turning to Stephen,''I expect you to stay for dinner.'' He shook his head, smiling,''Oh no, I wouldn't want to trouble you.''

"I insist.'' She expressed firmly. Her culinary skills were truly incredible, as 10 years of mastering the knife sliced through the meat like butter. Each cut was planned out and formulated, like a machinery code. Her hands worked quickly, and in no more than an hour, Colette had prepared an entire meal, complete with dessert. 

''Dinner's ready.'' She announced, clapping her hands. Each Avenger grabbed a plate, thanking her. Stephen came in at the last, before taking the portion, thanking her and sliding by, the swift movement enough for his cologne to brush past Colette's nose. Stephen was pretty impressed by her because she reminded him of his past life. He had watched with fascination as she prepared the meal.

Dismissing the negative thoughts, he turned his attention back to his dinner, and whispered a small command to the Cloak to behave itself. It was tugging at him, and pointing its collar towards the chef, as if wanting to tell Stephen something.

''The food is fantastic, but pardon me, what is it with Midgardians not putting enough spice on their meals?'' Thor asked through bites,''We at Asgard, put spice on everything.''

''Spice?'' Colette asked softly, as she stood up, leaning in to get the jar of Carolina reaper powder. Loki and Peter exchanged muffled giggles. She emptied half a spoonful on his plate. "Thank You." The god said, gleaming. He took a large bite as the giggles increased. A split second later, a screaming Thor was seen running towards the refrigerator as he opened every bottle of beer in sight. Loki and Peter rolled in laughter and Stephen's eyes grew wide as he looked at the chef amused. 

 _"You want spice? You get spice."_ She said grimly. Natasha,Tony and Clint sniggered at the performance Thor was putting up. The others chose to stay quiet. 

* * *

_**Later.** _

A fantastic tiramisu later, the team of superheroes was sprawled out on the couch. Each one held a drink in their hands. Thor had finally stopped breathing fire and they talked about Ultron, a mistake and how he could have been prevented.

''Its a trick.'' Clint said, opening another bottle.

"Oh no. It's much more than that.'' Thor replied, laughing.

''Whosoever be he worthy shall haveth the power.'' Clint said in a sing-song voice,Whatever man, its a trick!''

The god pointed at Mjonlir,''Then please, be my guest.''

The archer walked up to Mjonlir and gripped its handle,''You know I've seen this before right?''

Thor nodded.

Clint lifted the hammer, or atleast he tried to,''How do you do it?''

"You smell the silent judgement coming up?'' Tony muttered, not so softly.

''Please Stark, by all means.''

Tony stood up, unbuttoning his jacket,''Never want to shrink an ominous challenge.'' He said, wrapping the strap around his wrist,''It's Physics.If I lift it, I rule Asgard?''

''Of course.''

''I _will_ be reinstituting Prima Nocta.''

He grasped the handle,''I'll be right back.''

The mechanic reappeared with a photon blaster covering his arms, and tried again. Even Rhodey helped, him too wearing part of his suit.

''Are you even trying? he asked.

"Are you on my team?''

"Just represent,pull.''

After them Banner tried, followed by Steve and Loki, but the hammer didn't even budge.

"Why don't you try?'' Tony asked Colette, who had been too engrossed in her book to notice, perked up.

"On no, that's not a question I need answered.''

Loki urged her to do so. Even Stephen seemed interested to watch her try.

"Go on. There's always an 'if'.'' He insisted.

Heaving a sigh, the chef put her book down.

She approached Mjonlir,''How many have lifted it?''

"My father, Vision and me.'' Thor replied, pronouncing the second person with a cough. "Well then, let's get it over with.'' With that, the chef tugged at the handle with both her hands. Using her maximum strength, she pulled the hammer in vain. As the amount of force increased, her wrists started to glow with raw energy. The scarlet-golden smoke grew, engulfing her ard the hammer. The windows cracked, and the pent up energy burst, sending her flying backwards. Colette would have hit the floor certainly if Doctor Strange's Cloak hadn't caught her in mid-air. 

"Are you okay?" Stephen, Loki and Tony asked in unison.

''Yeah.'' But Colette seemed more concerned about the living carpet around her,''Should I be worried about this?''

She gestured at the Cloak. The Cloak unwrapped from her and flew back to its concerned master.

"It's called the Cloak of Levitation, and she's a sentient being.'' The sorcerer explained. He turned his attention to Thor,''And she wants to try lifting your hammer too.''

Thor agreed with uncertainity,''Why not?'' 

The Avengers were then rewarded with an extremely comical sight of the Cloak wrapping itself around Mjonlir and trying to wield it. Stephen had to physically stop the relic from ripping itself. With that, even the sorcerer tried lifting it, but in vain. 

''All deference to the man who wouldn't be king, but its rigged.'' Tony said, pointing at Thor. "You bet your ass.'' Clint sniggered, enough to gain a glare from the immensely polite chef for using bad language. 

''The handle's imprinted right? Like a security code.''The mechanic continued,''Whosoever is carrying Thor's fingerprints, is I think the literal translation.''

''Yes, its a very, very interesting theory.'' The god said walking towards the hammer,''But I have a simpler one.''

He lifted it with ease,''You're all not worthy.''

''Aww, come on.'' The Avengers pouted.

Colette, upon finishing her margarita, picked up her book and walked towards the balcony.

''Where are you going, sweet cheeks?'' Tony asked, noticing his 'daughter' leave.

"I've had too much of your nonsense for a day.'' She replied, before walking off. 

 

But that night, Thor noticed something the others didn't. In Colette's magical attempt to lift the enchanted hammer _, Mjonlir budged._

* * *

 Colette leaned over the railing of the balcony, breathing in the fresh garden air. The lake stretched in front of her. She loved the facility, even more than the tower. It was a perfect getaway from the bustling city. She closed her eyes as a particularly cool breeze brushed by her, making her long auburn her sway. 

"Does that happen often?'' The familiar deep voice echoed from behind of her.

"Yes, very often in fact. I've never been able to control it.'' She replied, turning to the sorcerer.

He walked and stood beside her, looking onto the lawn.

''Maybe, you're just practicing the  _wrong_ type of magic.'' He said. She looked at him perplexed.

He looked at her softly, as he opened his palm and muttered a spell. A blue butterfly materialised in his hand. It flapped its wings, before fluttering over to Colette and sat delicately on her nose. She looked at it, as her scarlet pupils simultaneously came together. She blinked and the creature disappeared in a puff of blue sparks. She sneezed softly, at which both of them giggled. 

"I practice the Mystic Arts.'' Stephen said, explaining,''We harness energy and shape reality, to create magic.''

With that, he waved his hands and sparkling orange glyphs appeared in the air.

Colette stared at him like he grew six heads,''You mean, I can do that?'' She asked in disbelief.

"Anybody can learn the Mystic Arts, but not everyone is capable enough.'' He replied,''You, in particular are born with this power, a force newfound and misunderstood. We don't have many in the world like you.''

Stephen continued,''If you want, I can teach you to control it''

 Colette's cheeks rose up to burning blush. She was grateful that the darkness shielded her face,''I would like that, thank you.''

''It's nothing actually.'' He replied.

The Cloak lifted itself off his shoulders and flew over to her, stretching out its rim as if wanting a handshake. Colette, amused, shook its rim, much to the surprised look on Stephen's face.

"The Cloak never opens up to anybody. Its amusing that its so much at ease around you.''

''Maybe I'm special.'' She giggled. The Cloak squeezed her cheeks with it's collar.

''She likes you.'' Stephen concluded.

''She?'' Colette asked curiously,''The Cloak's a female?''

He rubbed the back of his forehead,''Well, the Cloak's practically a living thing and it doesn't seem right to call her 'it'. Plus,I think she behaves like a woman.'' 

''It's the Cloak of Levitation, right?''

Stephen nodded,

"Levi has a name now.''

The Cloak wrapped around her in a tight embrace.

''Um, what is Levi doing?'' Colette squeaked.

''I think she's hugging you. It's her way to show gratitude. Colette smiled as the Cloak unwrapped, and returned to its master.

''So, you like books it seems.''

''Yeah.'' She twitched the one in her hand,''This one is-''

''A Midsummer night's dream.'' He completed for her,''By William Shakespeare. It's a famous one.''

''How did you know?'' She asked, raising an eyebrow.

''Magic.'' Stephen replied cheekily, making her roll her eyes.

"I have access to one of the world's best libraries.'' He said, smiling at her.''Do you want to come?''

"I would absolutely love to.'' She replied, returning his smile,''Not now though. Maybe tomorrow.''

"Maybe?'' He asked, mock disappointed.''How about at 10?''

"I'll do you one better. How about 8?''

''Works with me. Just text me and I'll open a portal for you.''

Colette agreed and slipped her hand in her pocket, to grab her phone,but in vain. 

Stephen opened his other hand, to reveal her holographic Stark Industries phone. 

''How did-"

''I'm a wizard, remember?'' He chortled, before handing Colette back her phone.'

'See you tomorrow then, Doctor Strange.'' She said.

"It's Stephen. We don't have to be formal while being friends."

"We're friends?''

"Are we not?'' Stephen pouted.

''Of course we are.'' She reassured him.

He felt around his pocket for his sling-ring, only to find that it wasn't there. He turned around to the chef, who was tossing it in the air.

''Quite sneaky, aren't you?'' He smirked.

''Can I keep this? It's quite fascinating. I would like to examine it further.''

"Sure, its yours.''

Colette smiled,''You are going to have to go by a taxi.''

She called out to the A.I.,''Friday, get us a taxi.''

''Of course, Miss.'' Friday replied.

''It's OK, I have another one.'' Stephen said,pulling out a spare sling-ring,''Your A.I. won't be able to find my home anyway.'' 

Wearing the magical object, he opened a portal and bid her goodbye.

''Good Night, Colette.'' ''Good Night,Stephen.'' 

And the portal closed.

* * *

Stephen closed the portal, still smiling. He wouldn't have gone to help the Avengers if Wong hadn't insisted him to. But it had been worth it, and he was desperately looking forward to seeing the beautiful chef again. But then he asked himself, why did he want to see her? She was at most, nobody to him. So why did he care?

 _Oh no._ The sorcerer's eyes grew wide and the Cloak approved.

 

_Stephen Strange had a **crush** on Colette Stark._

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are done with chapter 3! I hope y'all liked it, cause I definitely enjoyed writing this one.
> 
>  
> 
> Caution:- THE FOLLOWING CHAPTERS SHALL CONTAIN FLUFF, I REPEAT, A LOT OF FLUFF.


	4. Libraries dating back 1000 years(and more).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Colette visits the New York Sanctum for the first time, and Stephen is having trouble keeping his face straight around her after discovering a newfound crush for the chef.

Stephen was pacing around the staircase. 5 minutes to 8, as his broken watch displayed. One day ago, he had no problem seeing the chef, but now was absolutely terrified at the thought of it. To be frank, he had  _never_ been so scared. The Sorcerer Supreme was known far and wide for fearless attitude, who knew that he'd be as frantic as a schoolgirl seeing her crush. He'd waken up early and arranged the Sanctum to the point that not even a single book was out of place, much to Wong's happiness. His hands shook violently when his phone let out ring. 

_''I'm ready.''_

Wearing the Cloak, Stephen took in a deep breath and imagined the Facility as waved his hands in circles. He found Colette sipping coffee in the garden. 

''Umm, So I got the text, let's go?'' The mystic asked nervously, threading his hand through his hair. ''Stephen!'' Colette exclaimed when she noticed him. Stephen's eyes grew wide. She was wearing a cute crop-top and really short jeans. Her scarlet hair was tied in a large bun, leaving her bangs free. The sorcerer, looked at the grass to internally gasp at the beauty in front of him. The Cloak didn't seem a least bit concerned, and flew over to Colette, before wrapping around her arm and dragging her towards the doctor.

''Levi!'' Colette giggled, as the Cloak pulled her,''Are you okay?'' She asked Stephen, catching him off guard. ''Yeah, of course.''He replied, snapping out of his embarrassment. The Cloak returned to him as he opened a portal to the Sanctum, and gestured Colette to follow him. She quite, gingerly hopped through, but her heels got caught in the billowing cloak and she tripped backwards. She let out a squeak, as an arm caught her waist, and another held her hand. The duo's eyes erupted in a glow, indicating the touch between the two. 

''You should be more careful.'' He said softly, almost purring.

 _''You should keep your Cloak in check.''_ She replied just as delicately, her face inches away from his.

Stephen looked into the glowing scarlet eyes. They glowed a solid metallic gold and illuminated the skin around them. He studied her, moving his eyes from her lips to her hair, wanting to remember this pretty face till the end of time. Colette's eyes were blinding, but Stephen wanting nothing more than to stare in them. They both stared at each other, transfixed. He observed the light sprinkling of freckles on her nose, admiring just how perfect she was. 

_As perfect as a porcelain doll._

Colette became aware of her surroundings. She blushed a deep magenta. Embarrassed, she freed herself from Stephen's grasp and stood away, the blush deepening as she did so. Stephen too, looked ashamed and scratched the back of his head.

''To the library, then.'' He coughed, at which Colette solemnly nodded.

* * *

''These are relics, objects infused with magic,each serving a particular purpose.'' Stephen explained, as the duo walked through the relic room. The 'Staircase Incident' was long forgotten.

''So, Levi is a relic.'' 

''Yes, a relic chooses its master. The Cloak chose me.'' Stephen pointed at the Cloak. They moved ahead, as the sorcerer explained each relic in detail. To her shock, Colette was greatly interested to listen, as he exposed more about his home.  The kitchen was next, and the chef admired its modern outlook despite of the antique nature of the Sanctum. It had a large chef's island in the center, complete with an oven and a refrigerator was placed in the corner. 

''Did you really expect us to cook on a fireplace?'' Stephen asked, amused. Colette shook her head in embarrassment. Finally, they arrived in the Library. Colette had to admit, that this collection of books was extraordinary. The shelves of books seemed endless,and the books themselves, infinite. Each shelf towered to the ceiling and held the most 'booky' smell a library could have. 

''I'm sorry but we only have 3 shelves containing English books.'' The sorcerer said, gesturing to the nearest shelves. ''You mean the others are in different languages?'' He nodded. 

''Which ones?'' The sorcerer pulled a book from the shelf behind them. ''This one's in Scottish Gaelic.''

Though Colette was pretty sure she didn't speak Gaelic, she wanted to try. ''Can I try?'' ''Of course.'' He handed her the book, who opened it to the first page. She looked at the print skeptically at first, but began to read fluently in Scottish. 

_''The great Agamotto brought about change in the magic on earth. He was the first one to control it and introduced the Mystic Arts to fellow people, becoming the first Sorcerer Supreme.''_

She looked at Stephen for answers, but he had already brought books in every language known to man. 

And that was how the famed chef of New York spent her morning. Both of them sat in the library for hours, with piles of books scattered around them. Even the Cloak seemed to partake in the avid reading, and it too began to read through some books. Together, the trio read about magic and medicine; some of which even Stephen didn't know about. He combed the library for books in different dialects, bringing forth ones from Persian to Egyptian Hieroglyphics. There were even books from languages uncharted, yet Colette read without difficulty.

''What are those books about?'' She asked, pointing at the chained volumes.

''Those ones are about advanced magic.'' Came the reply, _''Only I can read them.''_

A smirk quirked up her lips,''Any reason why?''

Stephen looked at the books, then at her,''They contain information that, if fallen into wrong hands, can commit unspeakable evil. So, they are restricted too only the Sorcerer Supreme.''

But that statement intrigued Colette even more. She approached the books and unchained one of them. That particular book was covered in brown leather and a large yellow topaz adorning it. She brought it up to the sorcerer, who looked at it knowingly.

''The Book of Cagliostro.'' He muttered softly,''Harnesses the secrets of time.'' 

He flipped through the volume carefully, before stopping at a particular page, which had a pictorial representation of the relic he wore around his neck. 

''The Eye of Agamotto.'' Stephen gestured to the relic. Colette stared at the glowing green object. Its radiation was hypnotic. She reached out her finger to touch it as the glowing green light enveloped her. He took it off, allowing her to examine it more closely.

''It contains the time stone.'' He said, pointing at the glowing green emerald,''Which can reverse time.'' She looked at him perplexed, demanding a demonstration. Wearing it, he crossed his arms and pulled them apart as glowing green glyphs surrounded his wrists. He pushed a teacup from the table, which broke when it hit the wooden floor. He concentrated on the pieces, and turned his palms. Colette watched in fascination as the cup slowly turned back to its original, unbroken form. The sorcerer dismissed the glyphs. 

She noticed that the book was written in the same glyphs that appeared on Stephen's wrist. ''What language is this?'' She asked, taking the book into her own arms, as she read a few lines.

''Ancient Sanskrit.'' He said,''The language of the Mystic Arts is older than time.''

Colette would have loved to read more of the book if Stephen hadn't taken it away.

''Oh, come on!'' She resorted to the puppy-dog face now,''Please! Pretty Please! I promise I won't mess anything up.''

''No.'' The doctor said firmly,''You'll read it when the time is right.'' 

''So says the man who can control time at his fingertips.'' She moaned,''Can we practice magic for a change?''

''If you want to.''Stephen said, putting the book back at its place,''Let's start with portals,nothing too difficult at the start. You may want to take your sling-ring out now.''

''Just a second.'' She put the sling-ring on and looked at him for further instructions. 

''Move your hands in circles.'' 

''And concentrate on your magic.''

Colette closed her eyes. But instead she didn't feel anything. The usual bursts of magic seemed to have disappeared. She tried hard, but nothing happened.

Except for the few sparks that crackled around her fingers.

''I'm the worst.'' She whined, sulking on the couch. 

''You did great, believe me.'' Stephen reassured her, smiling,''I wasn't even able to summon sparks on my first try.''

''But you're the Sorcerer Supreme. You are literally the most powerful of the kingdom of wizards, if there was such a thing.'' Colette crossed her arms.

''You'll learn gradually.'' Stephen said as he packed some books in a bag,''I recommend these for starters.'' 

''Thanks.'' Colette spoke dryly, taking the bag from him,''But how will I return them? I suspect the Sanctum is protected or invisible for normal people.''

Stephen chuckled,''Right you are.'' He walked over to her and muttered a spell under his breath, causing a crystal bracelet to form around her wrist. 

''I don't see you as a threat, and neither will the Sanctum. With this, you'll be able to locate it from anywhere.'' 

Colette smiled broadly. She admired the bracelet and picked her bag. Stephen suddenly seemed sad to let her go. He had enjoyed her company and wanted her to stay.

''You're leaving already?'' He pouted.

''It has been a lovely time being here, and I enjoyed myself. I really did.'' She said,''But it's been four hours and Loki will start to worry. You don't want to see him get cranky.''

 _Of course she had to go. How could Stephen be so selfish?_ ''Yeah, you should get going. I wouldn't want to affect your busy schedule. Plus, I do have to visit another dimension to check on it'' Stephen replied, straightening up,''But allow me to introduce you to a friend of mine.''

With that he hollered out loud,''WONG!!'' 

From somewhere behind the bushes, appeared a middle-aged Asian man, who seemed very irritated. 

''Colette, Wong.'' Stephen pointed at the man,''Wong, Colette.'' 

Colette extended her hand, which Wong shook formally. 

''Welcome to the Sanctum Sanctorum.'' He said lazily, before looking at Stephen,''You're wasting her time with your nonsense.'' He looked over to scattered pile of books on the floor, before cursing under his breath and disappearing once more among the shelves.

Colette sniggered. Stephen rolled his eyes. 

''Umm, can you make a portal? I can't make one of those yet.'' 

''Of course.'' Stephen skillfully conjured the fiery ring back to the compound. Colette looked at him jealously. 

''Bye,then.'' He said softly as the cloak squeezed around her in a parting hug.

Colette freed herself from the Cloak's embrace and went over to Stephen. She leaned in closer and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. Their eyes glowed brighter than they ever had in this moment.

''You know, if you ever forget that I borrowed a book after you come home from whatever it is that you do.'' She said walking through the portal,"Just give me a call. Anytime will do."

''Bye!'' And the portal closed, leaving Stephen rooted to the floor, as his face went scarlet.

* * *

 

Stephen rushed through the Sanctum to find Wong. The Asian sorcerer was at the library, rearranging the books as he listened to the latest albums of Beyonce. 

''I need a spell.'' 

Wong ignored him. 

''Please.''

''Whatever for?'' Wong said, heaving a sigh. The younger sorcerer looked at the floor to hide his embarrassment.

''To stop me from getting flustered.'' Stephen muttered under his breath.

''Oh.'' Wong removed the headphones. He looked at Stephen slyly,''It's about the Stark girl isn't it?''

''Yes.'' Stephen admitted softly.

''I agree, she's quite hot.'' 

The statement made Stephen blush hard.

''But a spell to hide your emotions-'' Wong continued,''won't let her see what you are on the inside.''He tapped on Stephen's chest. 

''But how will I know she likes me back?'' 

''Confess to her. Let her know what you feel.'' 

''But I'm scared.'' Stephen whispered, but the older wizard knew.

''Then start small, make her feel loved. Do things for her.'' 

Stephen smirked,''Since when do you know about love?''

Wong's face regained its normal annoyed look,''There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Strange.'' He growled, before returning back to arranging the books.

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're done with Chapter 4!


	5. Sorcerers make the best babysitters.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony entrusts Stephen with a responsibility, which might change the way both he and Colette see each other forever.

_**Two days later.** _

A threat in Venezuela, called the Avengers for another mission. But this mission was supposedly more dangerous, and the enemy, highly intelligent. The team now decided to take along Vision, as they thought that the super-bot was powerful enough to handle the threat. 

But bringing Vision along meant that the  _'kids'_ would no longer be babysitted.

_And so, Tony and Loki had a plan. A great, fantastic plan._

* * *

''Dad, I am  **25** years old! In addition, I too can fight, you know!'' Colette moaned, exasperated. She had had enough of being treated like a child. But Tony Stark was known to be exceedingly stubborn, and he made good use of that trait.

''No. You're still a baby to me, and no one will change it.'' Tony said firmly,''And don't even think of calling Shuri and going to Wakanda.''

Colette's eyes grew wide,''She's coming too? But I thought she was younger than I am!''

''Oh, come on! It isn't that bad. Plus, Peter's staying home, so you'll be having company.''

''That bad? It's the worst!'' She shouted, her voice raising several octaves,''I  _never_ get to come along with you guys!''

''Because, you're not an Avenger yet!'' Tony replied.

''Ugh!'' The girl rolled her eyes, enough to earn a glare from Pepper.

''Now, now sweetie. We're doing it for your own good.'' She said, approaching the chef.

''Easy for you to say. Even _you_ get to go.''

''Tony would never forgive himself if anything happened to you or Peter. It's his way of keeping you both safe.'' Pepper said softly, guiding Colette's hair into place.

''It's just that-that I want to have a chance.A chance to prove myself. I too want to experience that superhero life.'' She reasoned.

''And you will, in due time.'' Loki assured her,''For now, you have to promise us you'll stay at home.''

Colette heaved a sigh,''Fine, I will.''

Tony clapped his hands in happiness,''Sweet cheeks, guess who's gonna be your babysitter while we're gone?!''

''Who?'' Colette asked nervously.

''He'll be here any minute now. Wait for it.'' 

A ring of fiery sparks appeared in the room, and out stepped the Sorcerer Supreme.

''What's the emergency Anthony?'' Stephen asked, as he scanned his surroundings.

_Oh no. Colette was looking right at him._ Butterflies appeared in his stomach as he caught her eye, looking at the floor rather than at her.

''Coco, meet your new babysitter.'' Tony announced with a theatrical flourish as he pointed at Stephen

''EXCUSE ME??!!'' Both the individuals coughed, each turning a distinguished shade of red.

''What I mean is, Doctor Weird-''

''It's Strange.''

''Anyway, Dumbledore will be looking after you and Peter for the coming weeks.'' Tony continued, a wide boyish grin etched on his face.

Stephen shook his head,''I did **not** volunteer for this.'' He said, raising his gloved hand.

''Yes, but you _did_ say you would help me out.'' Tony smirked,''This is what I need your help for.''

Stephen sighed. It wasn't that he didn't want to 'babysit' Colette,(No. He'd absolutely love to do that.) but rather the fact about how she felt about it. Before he said anything though, FRIDAY's voice echoed through.

''Boss, I would recommend leaving at once. The intensity of the attacks has increased, and a group of civilians are being held hostage.''

''Well that's my cue.'' Tony brusquely said,''See you in 3 weeks,sweet cheeks!'' 

One by one, the Avengers gave the chef parting hugs as they boarded the Quinjet. Loki in particular seemed to stick around for a bit longer.

''Try to bewitch Dad, okay? He's given me enough horrors for a day.'' Colette said as she nuzzled up to Loki's chest. Even on her tip toes, she only came up to the god's chin.

''That would be extremely pleasing, but I'll try to make him change his opinion.'' He replied softly, planting a light kiss on her forehead,''Let me know if the wizard troubles you, I'll send him straight to Hellheim.''

''Not that it will be necessary, but I will. Stay safe.'' She pulled him even closer,''I'll miss you.''

''I'll miss you too.'' 

''I hate to break it up to both of you, but if you two weren't siblings, I'm pretty sure this would have been a pretty romantic scene. Come on Lok, we're getting late.'' Bucky spoke through the aircraft.

''Natasha, remind him that I'm on a good mood today.'' Loki said, as he pulled away from his 'sister'. Natasha chuckled. Colette waved for a last time at the team, before the Quinjet sped away into the sky.

* * *

''I'm pretty sure we're stuck together now.'' Colette concluded, as Stephen stood at the doorway,''Peter won't come until 6, so the Compound's gonna be pretty quiet for a while.''

''Yeah, I'll be at the Sanctum if you need me.'' The sorcerer prepared to leave.

''WAIT! I mean, wait I have something to give you.'' Colette went to her room and picked up the pile  of books Stephen had given her.

''You finished reading all of those?'' Stephen asked, his eyes widening.

The girl smiled,''Yes, they were very interesting. It's nice to have a change from novels. I particularly enjoyed the  _History of the Mystic Arts._ ''

''That's my favorite book.''

''It is? What a coincidence!'' She laughed nervously, as her cheeks heated up. She walked over to the kitchen, to prep herself a mug of coffee.

''Coffee?''

''I'm more of a tea person actually.''

''Oh, Okay. I've got Earl Grey, Lavender, Chamomile, Black-''

''I prefer herbal.''

The chef nodded as she set the kettle to boil. In no time, she had two cups of drinks ready. She handed the sorcerer his tea, and settled down on the couch.

''So...''

There was an awkward silence and eyes met in uncomfortable glances. Both felt butterflies fluttering. As for Stephen, he chose two look down at his cup, and Colette did the same.

''So, are you really a doctor? Or is it a made up title?'' She was the first to break the quietness. Stephen looked up.

''Yeah. I was a neurosurgeon.'' He replied baritone voice.

''Was?''

He suddenly seemed to get highly melancholy. He swallowed a breath before answering her question,''I got into an accident once, and it took my hands away from me.'' For the first time, he removed the mustard yellow gloves in front of someone other than Wong. He raised his hands high in the air, so she could see.

Colette's heart broke as she saw the scarred hands. The nervous damage went up to his wrists. The hands shook violently, and she knew that they hurt terribly as the did so Stephen wore the gloves again.

''You can't be a neurosurgeon with shaky hands.'' He continued.

''I'm sorry.''

''It's okay.'' He smiled sadly,''You were bound to know in the end. You have all the right in the world to know. What's your fault? You were just being curious.'' 

Colette put the mug down, and moved towards him. He looked at her perplexed as she took his hands in hers and pulled the gloves off. 

''I don't want those horrible yellow gloves hide the beauty underneath.'' She said,as their eyes started glowing.

He blushed ever so slightly,''You think my hands are beautiful?''

''They're more beautiful than anything in the world.'' She said, looking in his sparkling ocean blue eyes,''Scars aren't what define you. Believe me, I know.''

Stephen's ears perked up,''What?''

The girl lifted the hem of her shirt, exposing her abdomen, and a large angry scar. Stephen's eyes, which once glinted with sadness, turned considerably dark and reduced to slits. He glared angrily at the wound, which was emitting an unnatural golden-purple glow.

_How dare anyone wound her?_

''Who did this to you?'' He hissed angrily. Colette felt his magic go out of control.

''Stephen, relax. The guy who did that, is dead.'' She convinced him. He looked at her for answers and she sighed. She grabbed a knife and ran its blade across the tip her finger. Stephen hesitated at first but then, watched in fascination as the substance he expected to be scarlet, turned out gold.

''One hundred percent pure gold.'' Colette assured him,''A guy, wanted that. He caught me and stabbed me with a chemical tipped spear. Thank heavens Dad came in time, who knows what else he would have done to me.''

_''No one will ever hurt you again.''_

''I know. But the thing is, you have to overlook your scars. They are not who you are.'' She tapped at his chest, with her slightly bloody finger. He gently took it in his hand, and whispered something which caused the cut to heal up immediately.

''Thanks. But I too have something for you.'' She closed her palms around his hands and closed her eyes, as a scarlet-golden energy energy enveloped his trembling fingers.

 

_And not once in the entire day, did Stephen's hands shake again._

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a small chapter, I know. But hey, I enjoyed it. Hope you did too!


	6. Kamar-Taj

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Colette's official training starts, and the duo have a little surprise awaiting them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S. It's kinda difficult to arrange a plotline mentioning that Stephen and Colette's eyes glow every time the touch each other. It's a lot, I know. So, whenever they both are touching, their eyes glow.

''Stephen, nothing's happening.'' Colette whined, as she desperately tried to make a portal. Stephen had offered to train her while the team was gone and she'd happily agreed.

''Try harder.'' He said simply, not looking up from his book.

''But-'' She sighed, defeated and moved her hands in circles again, only for scarlet-gold sparks to crackle feebly around her fingers. She looked at the sorcerer, ' _what now?'_

He put the book down, and approached her.

''My teacher left me at the top of Mt.Everest to master the portal.'' He said, at which she stifled a giggle.

''Unfortunately, I'm  _not_ you. So..''

''To control the sling-ring,myou must surrender control.''

She raised her brows,''But that doesn't make any sense.''

''Not everything does. Not everything has to.'' Stephen opened a portal under her feet, and she fell through. As for Colette, she screamed. Screamed like her life depended on it. She fell through through an infinite void of space, for 5 minutes until the Cloak had to tug on her master to free her. 

''Okay, Cloak. I think she's fallen enough.'' the Cloak lifted off Stephen's shoulders and stopped in front of him. He opened another portal, and the girl came in view, still screaming as she landed on the red fabric.

''YOU!'' She shouted at him, marching her way as she attempted to put her scarlet locks in place,''HOW DARE-''

But she was cut off by the Cloak, who wrapped around her like a cocoon, and levitated a few meters off the ground.

''Put me down, Levi. OR I SWEAR,things aren't going to be good.'' She snarled at the relic, who promptly turned her upside down.

''Did you just  _threaten_ the Cloak of Levitation?'' Stephen chortled, before a smirk quirking up his lips.

''Have a good laugh about it,will you?'' Colette growled, stilled hanging in the air.

''I will!'' The sorcerer exclaimed, before bursting into hysterics. Colette huffed, annoyed as the Cloak tightened its embrace around her.

''Are you done, doctor?''

''Give me a minute.'' Stephen managed to squeak, as tears formed in his eyes,''Sorry!'' 

And he rolled in laughter again. Colette rolled her eyes, but a slight thought appeared in her mind. Stephen looked absolutely  _gorgeous_ as he laughed.

''For Christ's sake!'', she snorted in disgust.

_Great. Just great. Now she was having feelings for her teacher._

 

* * *

Stephen had stopped laughing after a  _whole_ ten minutes. The Cloak had decided to free Colette from its grasp at last, and the duo was back at learning.

''Now you try.'' Stephen said, after showing her a detailed demonstration of creating a portal. Colette took in a deep breath, before closing her eyes and positioning her fingers.

_''Here goes nothing.''_ She muttered, and moved her fingers in circular motions. She tried to think of happy thoughts, as Stephen had advised her to and focused on her magic. 

''Feel the energy around you.'' His voice echoed.

She concentrated harder, and suddenly, felt the flicker of her magic ignite inside her. Slowly, but steadily, the warmth of power surged from her chest to her fingers, concentrating at the tips.

''You can open your eyes now.'' 

And she did. Colette watched the ring of fiery sparks in awe. The portal was defined now, and she didn't feel a least bit drained of her energy.

''Well done.'' Stephen applauded her,''Now, do it again.''

''What?'' She looked at him in disbelief.

''Mastering the sling-ring doesn't take much time. And now that you've  _successfully_ created a portal, it won't be a difficult task for you.'' He said coolly, making a face so smug, that Colette hoped she would never see again.

''Fine.'' She moaned as she put the sling-ring on again. 

//0//0//

It turned out that after the first attempt, Colette had opened portals with ease in a few tries, and Stephen was convinced that she had mastered the sling-ring. Stephen would have loved to teach her more, but she was so tired, that it seemed cute to one point.

''No more.  _Please._ '' Colette cried, throwing herself onto the couch.

''I agree. You've done much.'' Stephen smiled.

''Peter will be home now. He's perhaps bored out of his mind.'' Colette said, yawning,''I'll probably go back now, and stay out of your hair for a while.''

''It's okay actually, I don't mind you being around the Sanctum.'' Stephen replied, as his cheeks began to heat up.

''You don't?''

''How about we bring Peter here? I'm sure he'll love it.'' Stephen tried to change the topic.

''Of course!'' Colette jumped up, wearing her sling-ring and opened a portal to the Compound. And sure enough, Peter was sulking on the table, toying around with Tony's tech. He smiled as he saw Colette, and reached out to hug her.

''Long day, Pete?'' She asked, stroking his brown curls.

''Hmm.'' He nodded.

''Well, I've got something to show you.'' She nudged towards the portal.

''Oh my god,did you make it?!'' He asked, looking excitedly over at the sparkling ring. She nodded.

''Why don't you walk through?" 

Peter hopped through and his lips quirked up in the largest smile imaginable. 

''This is like Hogwarts!'' Peter screamed, exploring the Sanctum, having the curiosity of a kitten.

''Please be careful, some of the things here are really old and precious.'' Stephen said, levitating on the staircase, his eyes closed.

''Whoa! How can you do that, Mr.Doctor Strange sir?!'' 

''Oh god.'' Stephen sighed, as he opened his eyes,''Bringing you here was a mistake.'' Colette chuckled from the side. He pointed at the boy, who was busy inspecting the Cloak.

''We can't let him run loose over here. He'll break everything.'' She said exasperatedly. Stephen opened a portal.

''I know a place where he won't.'' He smiled,''Welcome to Kamar-Taj.'' He gestured both of them to follow him as he walked through. 

''I learnt magic here. It's my home.'' He explained. Colette watched in fascination as a group of teenagers trained under a master, and sorcerers walked around with volumes in their hands. Thankfully for Stephen though, there weren't many sorcerers, and he could slip by without anyone noticing the Stark kids behind and ask about them.

''Good evening, Master Strange.'' An old mystic greeted Stephen as he passed by, taking him by surprise

''You too, Master Chang.'' Stephen called back. The Cloak lifted off his shoulders and began to move around naturally.

''Holy Shit! Your cape's alive!'' Peter exclaimed with a look of pure horror etched on his face, earning a glare from Colette for using foul language,''Did you magic it to life? Or is it possessed?!''

_The Cloak slapped Peter on the last question._

''Ow.''

''You can't  _'magic'_ an object to life. No, that'd be impossible. '' He snapped back,''And it's definitely  _ **not**_ possessed. The Cloak of Levitation is a sentient relic.''

''Well, your cape's cooler than Thor's and Vision's, I'll give you that.'' Peter remarked.

''It's a  _Cloak_ .''

''Why does he have to be that grumpy?'' Peter huffed softly.

''Oh no, he's not.'' Colette replied,''He's a narcissist.''

''A narcissist, am I?''

She shrugged her shoulders,''Of course. Have you forgotten that you are the _Sorcerer Supreme_ , your supremacy?''

_''A narcissist.''_ Stephen huffed,''That's a _sure_ compliment.''

He led her to the library of Kamar-Taj, which was twice as big as the one at the Sanctum.

''What is it with you sorcerers and amazing libraries?'' Colette asked, brushing her fingertips across the spines of the books. She had instantly fallen madly in love with Kamar-Taj's library.

''Well, Wong's responsible for well being of the books. Some books are older than more than hundred years, while there are some which I added.'' Stephen explained. 

''No matter how tired I am, I feel like reading each and every one of these books.'' She said, removing a book from its shelf and inspecting it. Peter seemed to have no interest in the volumes and instead, was playing with the Cloak. The Cloak itself, had taken a liking to the boy and was tickling him gently. Stephen looked at his watch, and glanced outside.

''If you don't mind, I'd like to take you both around Kathmandu.'' Stephen smiled, having no control over the blush on his cheeks.

''We're in Kathmandu?'' Both Colette and Peter asked in unison.

''Of course. What did you expect, Atlantis?'' 

''No.'' Colette said in a tone that was unconvincing even to her own ears. 

''Will we get cotton candy there?'' Peter asked, too excited to even bother about anything.

Stephen and Colette looked at each other and chuckled.

* * *

The trio was walking through the bustling streets of Kathmandu, and Peter was supplied with three sticks of cotton candy. It being a Friday, the local night market was alive with brilliant bright lights and the air was filled with the aroma of cardamom and nutmeg. Colette, as an ambitious chef, bought plenty of the local ingredients, often getting stopped by a few people for pictures and autographs. Honestly, the girl didn't even know her name was known in this part of the world. But being a famous chef was one thing, and being Tony Stark's daughter was another. 

''I know this isn't what you're used to, but believe me, you'll like it.'' Stephen said as he pulled her into a small inn. The three of them sat down on a wooden table, as a server approached them. 

''Ma timila ke garna sakchu?(What can I bring you?)'' He asked, in Nepalese.

''Tina dalita bhata tarkari.(Three plates of daal bhat tarkari.)'' Stephen replied in the same language. The server eyed Colette, frozen to the spot.

''Ke tyo mala i lagcha ke tyo cha?(Is she who I think she is?)'' He asked blankly, still staring at her.

''Shh.'' Colette, understanding the language, whispered as she placed a finger over her lips, gesturing the server to keep it a secret. He simply nodded and walked away. Peter was busy playing with the Cloak, which was disguised as handkerchief. They sat in an awkward silence before Stephen asked his first question.

''Does Stark  _always_ leave you at home?'' 

''Yes. Dad says that he does it for my own safety, and Peter can't miss school. We don't have much of a choice.'' She said sadly, gazing down at the table.

''Maybe he's right.'' Stephen said, causing her to look up at him.

''Excuse me?'' 

''I mean, your magic is still undeveloped. It may cause more harm than good. In addition, you've got that terrible scar. If I were your father, I too wouldn't let you go.'' He continued.

Colette felt her cheeks heat up, not at the act that he cared, but at the sentence,' _If I were your father.'_

''You're right.'' She admitted finally,''I'm just being selfish.'' Right then, the server appeared with the food, its delicious aroma causing Peter to perk up immediately. Colette shot the server a charming smile, and winked for good measure. Meanwhile, the 16 year old teenager dug in to the plate.

''What is this stuff?'' He asked through bites, his mouth full,''It's amazing!''

''Don't talk with your mouth full.'' Colette scolded him.

''It's called daal bhat tarkari.'' Stephen explained,''The national dish of Nepal.''

''It is  _delicious.''_ Colette said,''The local palate of Kathmandu, is quite varied. I suppose the spices here create a difference.''

''Don't mind her. She's got some type of explanation for everything she eats.'' Peter told Stephen, enough to earn a look from his 'sister'. The doctor chuckled. 

They ate in silence after which the server put down the receipt in front of them. Colette promptly fished out her wallet, but was stopped by Stephen. She gave him a questioning look, to which he responded.

''It's okay. Consider this as a treat from me.'' He assured her.

Heaving a sigh, she nodded and went over to ask the head chef of the restaurant for the recipe.

* * *

 The three were back at  Kamar-Taj, watching the moonlit landscape of Nepal from one of the balconies. Though it was mid-July, a cold winter breeze blew throughout the mountainous country. Kamar-Taj itself, was situated on the peak of a hill, and boasted a breathtaking view of the Himalayas. Each of them held a warm drink in their hand as they admired the sheer beauty of nature. Besides them, was an overgrown orchid bush, sporting flame red flowers. 

Colette teased their petals, and breathed in their scent. Stephen noticed this and quickly made a bookmark in his mind.

_1\. She likes orchids._

 ''These flowers, they're so pretty.'' She said, still gazing at the plants.

''Hmm, I agree.'' Stephen replied, smiling,''They are beautiful.'' With that he muttered a spell and a few orchids plucked of the bush and clustered together to form a flower crown. Stephen flicked his hand and the crown fit gracefully over her hair. A pink tainted Colette's cheeks as she gently touched the flaming red flowers.

''Thanks.'' She said nervously, and looked down at the wooden floor to avoid his penetrating gaze.

Peter's ears perked up at the sight and he smiled slyly. He knew  _exactly_ where this was going.Stephen made a snarky remark, at which she slightly giggled. Peter and the Cloak watched quietly, as the two chatted away, showing the first signs of falling for each other. 

 

Right then, a howl sounded through the wind and the three became alert. The sound came from the room right besides them, and Stephen summoned his shields, while Peter  activated the web shooters. Both gestured the chef to stay quiet as they stalked to the room. The Cloak flew past and entered, draping itself on whatever creature that was there, and signalled them to come in. 

Sure enough, there was a small hump in the Cloak, presumed to be the creature. It started to move, and Stephen became even more cautious. But Colette, who was fed up with the mens' nonsense, bravely went ahead and ripped the relic off the ground.

''Awww!'' She cried out, when she saw the thing in front of her. 

It was a dog. A puppy, to be precise. Its long fur was pure white, and  it had the most adorable emerald green eyes. The puppy was limping on the floor, with its front paw injured, as it let out another bloodcurdling howl.

Colette's eyes softened. She picked up the animal from the ground and cradled it in her arms like a baby. 

''It's just a dog.'' Stephen huffed, as both he and Peter lowered their defenses. Peter, for one, ran over and started to stroke its ears.

''Oh you poor little thing!'' Colette cried as she caressed the puppy's paw, making it wince a little.

''Stephen, can we keep him?'' She asked the sorcerer, showing him the pup. 

''No.'' He replied back,''Stark's left me enough on my hand. I don't need another one.'' 

The Cloak instantly went and slapped Stephen, making him rub his cheek.

''What was that for?'' He whined, looking irritably at the relic. It simply pointed to the animal, who let out a hopeful yip.

''Don't be such an old man.'' Colette scolded him,''Plus, the poor creature is injured. It clearly has no one to be taken care of.'' 

''No.'' Stephen said again, crossing his arms.

''Please?'' Peter and Colette looked at each other and retorted to their puppy-faces, making their eyes as wide and sparkly as ever and whimpering their tiny noses. The puppy, well already had a cute face and had joined the party.

''That doesn't work on me. so don't even try.''

''Please!'' They made their eyes even wider,if that was even possible. Stephen found it extremely difficult to not look into Colette's eyes.  _They were so beautiful, her scarlet irises, twinkling with specks of gold. So irresistible. And those ultra kissable lips, so tempting. Oh my...._

''Fine!'' He said at last, snapping out of his trance-like state,''Do what you want.''

The pup, as if understanding what he had said, licked his face, leaving a  _very_ disgusted Stephen behind. 

''Eww.'' The sorcerer moaned and wagged a finger at Colette,''You better look after it young lady, it's your responsibility, not mine.''

''Okay, 'mommy'.'' She smirked, before turning her attention to the puppy,''Now, you'll be needing something to cure that paw, won't you?''

The pup, had begun to like it's new carer already and gave a small woof in reply.

''But before that, you must have a name.'' Colette smiled at Peter,''Pete, would you like to do the honours?''

''Sure!'' The boy jumped over, bopping the puppy on it's nose,''How about Blitz?''

The girl cuddled Blitz as he sniffed her flower crown,''It's perfect.''

Stephen sighed exasperatedly. 

_He was now stuck with a dog. A **dog** , for fuck's sake._

* * *

Peter and Colette were back at the Compound. It was well over 10pm, and Blitz was sleeping peacefully on her bed. She'd healed his paw using a simple spell at Kamar-Taj, and the pup made sure to thank her by running around in circles until he had grown tired. Though it was not needed, Peter insisted that Blitz's paw be bandaged up so Stephen, quite groggily, wrapped some linen around the paw. 

Now, the teenager was in his pajamas, reading one of Colette's books,'The Canterbury Tales' to be precise.

''How do you read this?'' He asked, turning the book upside down,''It's literally Latin to me.''

''It's a fantastic read, if you want to improve your English.'' She replied, preparing herself a nice mug of coffee,''You better read  _this_ rather than utterly wasting your time after those atrocious comics.''

''They're not 'atrocious'.'' Peter countered,''They're nice.''

''In destroying teenagers' vocabulary? I'd say yes.'' 

''Why are you so old fashioned?'' Peter asked, annoyed. Colette rolled her eyes.

''It's not about being _old fashioned_ , it's reality. Tell me, how many kids do you see these days using grammatically correct speech?'' She said.

''One.''

''And who is that, if I may ask?''

''You.''

''I'm not a kid, I'm a woman.'' Colette corrected him.

_''Women.''_   Peter mumbled under his breath.

''What was that?''

''Nothing.'' 

Colette picked up the flower crown Stephen had made her, and twirled it around her finger, admiring it. Peter noticed it, and a sly smile crept up his lips.

''Missing him?'' He asked in a sing-song voice.

''What?'' She looked shocked as she settled the crown back on the table, and a burning blush rose to her cheeks,''Whatever do you mean?''

''Oh you _know_ what I mean.'' Peter said teasingly,''You find Doctor Strange attractive, don't you?''

_Oh no._

Colette tried desperately to fight the butterfly feeling in her stomach. She tried to keep her voice straight.

''Peter Benjamin Parker-Stark, go to your bedroom  _now._ '' She said, as the blush spread to her ears.

''So you  _do_ like him!'' 

''I SAID, NOW!'' 

Peter ran to his room, but not hesitating to give her a cheeky grin before.

''Boys these days.'' She muttered under her breath, and the blush died down. She glanced back at the crown.

''Friday?''

''Yes, Miss Stark?'' The A.I.'s voice sounded out.

''Make sure that this flower crown is preserved.''

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Chapter done! I wanted to put an animal in,actually. I hope you like the story! I really want to put a picture to show you guys what Blitz looks like. But I don't know how and would really appreciate if someone would help me out. For those of you still wanting to know, Blitz is an English cream golden retriever puppy, also known as a snow angel retriever pup. Just google that out and you'll know!


	7. Secrets Revealed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Colette finds out what she really is.  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S. This chapter will be a bit short.

''Stephen?'' Colette asked as she inspected a journal. She had offered to help him and Wong rearrange the Library. Peter and Blitz were there too,the boy completed his homework while the pup nestled snugly in his lap.

''Yes, kitten?'' He said from the other shelf. He'd nicknamed Colette as 'kitten' for her fiesty behaviour.

''I found this journal.'' 

''A journal?'' Stephen walked to Colette and sat down besides her,''That's interesting. Wong,are you listening?''

''Sure.'' Wong replied lazily, but he too was interested.

''Should I open it?'' She asked nervously.

''Of course.''

With steady hands, she gently opened the blue leatherbound cover to expose a stunning painting of a bird. Both Stephen and Colette knew what it was. 

_The painting was of a phoenix, a legendary mythological creature. It's feathers looked like leaping flames, and it's sharp, talons looked deadly._

The handwriting was cursive and was written in Runes, but Colette was pretty sure it wasn't written in the past. Actually, it seemed as the journal was written just a few years ago. Colette looked at it skeptically before reading it out aloud

**Phoenixes**

**The phoenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Egyptians, Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Chinese, Hindu, Mesoamericans, Native Americans, and more.**

**As a proponent to the stories, there is a connection between what is described as the phoenix and science. The phoenix, a flaming bird who created life, in the universe - can be interpreted as the scientific explanation for the origin of life on the Earth. It is said to have visited the planet, leaving its imprint in the sacred landscape of our reality, that one day would be understood and interpreted to mean the end of this consciousness** **and the beginning of another. The Phoenix is a female sacred firebird with beautiful gold and red plumage. Its feathers are said to shine like pure rubies and its voice, as harmonical as the waves of the sea. It is virtually immortal, bursting into flames of the Eternal Fire every 500 years to rebirth, into a younger bird, more powerful than the earlier. A phoenix's blood is made of the purest gold, much like its tears and was valued by gods and other entities alike. Its tears have healing properties, and are seen as an elixir to cure any ailment, even death itself. A phoenix's feathers light with the flames from the Eternal Fire, like a bonfire that is just past the turbulent flame. They are seen as a symbol of fire and divinity, for their ability to be almost immortal and invincible. The feathers do not cease glowing if removed, and one feather can light a large room if not concealed. These birds take form of young women of unparalleled and are protectors of the realms. They possess a strong magic equivalent to that of the most powerful of the Mystic Arts, and are the sole wielders of the Stones of Infinity. For their ability to rebirth, a phoenix is also known as 'She Who Rises from The Ashes to Recreate'. There can only be one phoenix at a given time, and the other can't survive in another's presence, lest they transfer their powers to the more superior bird.**

 

The whole room fell quiet. A pin could be heard drop. Colette's chest was heaving with shock as Stephen, Wong and Peter looked at her with their mouths agape. She knew that she was the creature mentioned. 

_All the time that everything happened, it was me._

_I'm the cause._

_This is who I am._

''No.'' She whispered, as she closed the journal and tossed it away from herself. 

''It's ok.'' Stephen said, as he moved towards her.

 _''No.''_ She said again, backing away with a terrified expression.

''Liste-''

''NO!'' She screamed, before running aimlessly through the Sanctum with tears filling in her eyes, _''Please.''_

* * *

 

''Okay, Cloak. We need to find out where she went.'' Stephen said to the Cloak, which immediately obeyed. It floated around for a while, before pointing it hem to up.

''Exactly.'' 

 

And sure enough, Colette was sitting on the roof, her legs dangling in mid air. She gazed over the skyline of New York.

''Go away.'' She said,''Just leave me alone.''

''Not on my watch.'' Stephen said, as he sat besides her. She turned away, not wanting to look at him.

''Now tell me, what's bothering you?'' He asked in a voice so soft and loving, it was impossible to not listen to it. Colette swallowed and spoke in an almost inaudible voice, but Stephen was all ears.

''When I was small, I used to get bullied in school. People didn't even want see me. Once, I got so angry at a group senior girls th-that-''

''Yes?''

''My hands started glowing and a puff of red smoke appeared and burned them. If Dad didn't offer to pay for their treatment, I don't know what would have happened.''

At that moment a tear of pure gold rolled down her cheek and fell down, illuminating everything around it. She looked over at it, then at Stephen.

''And now, I know that I'm a  _phoenix_?'' She hesitated to say it,''I don't deserve it.''

''Of course you do.'' Stephen wiped the tear off with his thumb, as their eyes emitted a soft glow,''And don't cry. I don't like to see pretty girls cry.''

Colette ignored the fact that he called her 'pretty'.

''It's just that, I'm not ready.'' She continued,''I don't want this.''

''When I became the Sorcerer Supreme, I didn't want it too. But I had to accept it, and you must too.''

She smiled weakly at him. Stephen took the opportunity to scoot closer to her and attempted to hold her hand. As soon as she felt his fingertips brush around her own, Colette grasped his hand without hesitation, taking in the comfort he was providing her with.

''Stephen?''

''Yes,kitten?''

''Do you think that I'm a freak?''

The sorcerer's eyes suddenly clouded with worry. He turned to look her in the eyes, and cupped her cheek,''No. You are so very special, don't ever think any other way.''

''You know Stephen, Although I am probably the most famous chef in the world, I don't have a friend.  _A true friend._ '' She said, gazing at the full moon as a light pink painted her cheeks and felt his grip tighten around her hand.

''But you, you're different.'' Colette continued,''You're perhaps the first other person to not flinch at knowing that I have magic.''

''Does that make me your friend?'' He asked, looking into the blinding glow of her eyes.

''No.'' She said, moving even closer to him as she rested her head on his shoulder.

_''That makes you my best friend.''_

Stephen smiled as he ran his trembling fingers through her silky hair. 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to highlight how fluffy Stephen can be, and that Colette isn't perfect. Also, I've altered the myth a bit.


	8. First Flight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Colette's first flying experience isn't that great.

The fiery bird perched on the Sanctum's floor. It was larger than any bird alive and stood up to well over 3 feet tall, with a wingspan of no less than 4 meters. Good thing the Sanctum was magical, or it wouldn't have supported the bird's massive size.

_Yes, this was Colette, in all her phoenix glory._

Her beak was made of the purest gold, and her brilliant scarlet-golden feathers glinted in the sunlight. Her usual red irises were hinted with green, and her pupils were reduced to slits. Large crimson feathers formed a crest on her head, and she sported a long tail similar to that of a peacock's. But below all of the beauty, were a pair of deadly talons, each sharper than a dagger's edge, with the ability to slice through anything.

But Colette wasn't ready to accept her new form. She knew that the bird looked _absolutely stunning_ , enough to impress Stephen for that matter, though she complained that she wouldn't be able to use her magic in this body.

_''I need you to change me back, this instant.''_ She said, or rather, sang.

Yes, another complication being that phoenixes _can't speak_ , and must sing their words. _'An utter atrocity'_ as Colette called it.

''I can't change you back.'' Stephen replied coolly.

_''DOCTOR STEPH-''_ Colette's feathers became tipped with fire, as her eyes narrowed

''You turned into a phoenix by yourself, and you can change back doing the same.'' He cut her off, shrugging his shoulders,''And don't burn the Sanctum down. Wong will kill me if you do.''

Colette would've rolled her eyes if it were possible, but she relieved her anger by muttering in Irish under her breath.

_''Complicazioni!''_

It wasn't as difficult to turn back human as Colette thought it was. She simply imagined herself in her normal form and her body changed likewise.

''It's easy isn't it?'' Stephen asked, a dorky grin plastered on his face.

''It actually is.'' She replied, tapping her feet on the ground,''Though, I wonder...''

 She closed her eyes and imagined herself again, this time though in her human form, but with her phoenix wings. Sure enough, she transformed in a puff of scarlet smoke just as she had imagined. Not only did her large wings appear simply through her clothing, tearing through one of her favourite shirts(much to her being annoyed), but a few scarlet-golden feathers materialised at her wrists, ankles and collarbone.

''Well, I must say that I'm impressed.'' Stephen complimented, as he inspected her from top to bottom, causing her to blush slightly.

''Can you try flapping them a bit?''

''Sure.'' She moved her wings the slightest bit, only to send a powerful gust of wind through the Sanctum, causing a few books to fall out.

Stephen shot her a look saying, _'You've done a fantastic job making Wong mad at me.'_   to which she replied with a wide smirk.

''I would tell you to practice more, but you'll tear the place down. So, no.''

Colette giggled.

''But, what we _can do_ is go somewhere else to practice. Any ideas where?''

Colette jumped up,''Oooh! How about the Yosemite Falls? I've always wanted to go there!''

''Fine.'' Stephen sighed dryly, pulling the Cloak to himself as he opened a portal.

_And that was how a sorcerer and a bird set out to fly._

* * *

 

''Kitten, are you sure you're okay with this?'' Stephen asked, his eyes clouded with worry. Both of them were on top of the Falls, and a strong wind was blowing, causing Colette's long crimson hair to sway.

''Of course I'm fine. Why woul-'' Colette replied, but something stopped her in her tracks. She peered across the edge of the cliff, and realised how far the bottom really was.

_739 meters. The sixth tallest waterfall in the world._

Colette swallowed. It was going to be a really long way down if her wings failed her. Butterflies began to flutter in her stomach, as Colette's bravery morphed into fear. Stephen sensed it and he held her hand in his, causing their eyes to emit a soft glow.

''What's bothering you?'' He asked sweetly.

''I-I'm sc-scared.'' She stuttered in panic, and slowly backed away from the edge of the cliff. She expected him to laugh, but instead he gave her a soft look.

''If you don't want to do this, you musn't.''

''NO! I mean...no.'' Colette responded, a little bit of fearlessness blooming in her chest.

''Fine then.'' Stephen smiled at her, not letting go of her hand,''But remember, if anything happens I'm right here.''

The chef nodded weakly, a stretched out her powerful wings, feeling the cool wind brush against them.

''Ready?'' Stephen asked.

''Whenever you are.''

Colette breathed in deeply and took a few steps back.

_'_ 'I can do this.''  She whispered to herself, closing her eyes. With that, she sprinted ahead and jumped straight over the edge.

_And then, she screamed._

 

''It's okay, sweetheart.'' Colette heard Stephen's voice, not even bothering to notice he'd called her _'sweetheart' ._ She didn't dare open her eyes, lest she see the bottom of the waterfall.

''I need you to focus on my voice and stay calm.'' Stephen said again, at which she nodded. She tried to muster up her tears and stop screaming, but still didn't open her eyes. 

''Now, try to flap your wings.'' 

And she did. Colette attempted to move the large scarlet-golden wings of hers. Stephen smiled as she stopped falling. The Cloak, perched on his shoulders, waved its collar in satisfaction. 

''Can you flap them harder? You're almost getting it.'' Stephen urged her. They were now about a 100 meters over the lake below. Colette did as she was told and slowly, but steadily, felt herself rise up. The look of terror on her face was replaced with one of achievement. Stephen spoke again.

''I need you to open your eyes.'' 

''But-''

''Do you trust me?''

''I do.'' With that, she opened her eyes, only to find herself floating in midair just a few meters off the edge of the waterfall. She landed steadily on the cliff and closed her wings, looking at Stephen gratefully. 

''Well done, kitten.'' He praised her, enough to receive a blush in return.

But now that Colette had known what it was like to fly, _she wanted more_. She moved to the edge of the cliff, shot a smile towards Stephen, and jumped backwards.

''COLETTE!'' Stephen yelled, as she disappeared from view,''No no no.''

A split second later, the phoenix, complete with talons and beak, rose up to the sky, flapping its wings to stay afloat. It turned back into human, its wings still flapping in the air. 

''Catch me if you can.'' Colette smirked, before blasting up to the sky with tremendous force. Stephen smiled as he pulled the Cloak to himself.

''Come on Levi, we've got a bird to chase.'' 

The Cloak nodded its collar in approval.

_This was going to be fun._

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A small chapter again! Oh, I hate myself for this. But the story's going fast. See you later my lovelies!


	9. Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Colette wakes up in the middle of the night, and needs Stephen's help.

_'Now if you stay still, it will get over quickly. Move and the more it'll hurt.' The man sneered. In front of him stood a bloodied Colette, bound. Her face was dripping with the golden substance and that only tempted the man. He wiped the blood off her cheek, examining it._

_'Please, let me go.'The girl pleaded, her eyes filling up with tears._

_The man's tempted look changed to one of anger. He slapped her hard, causing the golden tears to escape her eyes and roll down her cheek, merging with the blood._

_'You think, I went through all the trouble to **release** you?!'  He aimed another slap at her cheek._

_'You've been troublesome. Time for you to get punished.' There came another slap, followed by another. The man finally stopped, but only to pick a scepter from the work desk._

_'See this, sweetheart? It's beautiful, isn't it?' He asked, twirling the object in his hands. Colette looked down at the ground, to cry. But the man grabbed her cheeks, pushed them tightly._

_'Say it's beautiful.'_

_'Please....stop.'_

_'SAY IT!'_

_Her eyes had swelled up now but she managed to_ _squeak,_

_'Beautiful..'_

_The man laughed viciously, and eyed the scepter with glee._

_'You're right it is beautiful.' With that he struck the scepter in her abdomen, causing Colette to scream like she never had. But that only made him push it in harder. The blood around the object began to turn purple._

_Colette started to lose consciousness._

_But the sound of a photon blaster charging up was unmistakable._

_'Let my daughter go, NOW.' The metallic voice said, bursting with anger._

_'But she isn't your daughter, is she?'  The  man smirked, aiming another painful slap at the unconscious girl. _

_'BOOM!' A loud noise sounded, and the man fell dead, a clean hole in his head. Iron Man blasted the chains and lifted his 'daughter' up from the chair, in exceeding care, before muttering under his breath._

_'How dare he do this to **my** Coco?'_

* * *

Colette woke up, screaming. The scar on her abdomen was throbbing painfully and gold hinted with purple started to leak through her shirt. 

''PETER!'' She screamed, hoping the boy would here. Blitz jumped up from his bed and went up to her lap as he licked her hand to ask what happened. A split second later, Peter appeared with a knife in his hand. He'd thought that something was attacking his sister. 

''FEAR ME, for I am Peter, and I will not hesitate to use this weapon!'' He announced, but dropped the knife when he saw the blood on her hands,''HOLY SHIT, your bleeding!'' 

''Friday?'' He asked, running towards her.

''It seems that Miss Stark has suffered from a nightmare.'' The A.I. replied.

''Blitz, look after Coco while I call Stephen.'' The boy ordered the pup, who yelped in agreement.

''Nonsense, I don't need Stephen. It's just a little blood.'' Colette said weakly. 

''If it was  _just a little blood,_ you wouldn't have called me.'' Peter said firmly, fishing his phone out.

''Peter is right.'' Friday seconded him,''You're losing a lot of blood, Miss.'' 

Peter scrolled through the contacts for Stephen's number, but there was no need for that.

Because the sorcerer was already here.

He too had his defenses open, with the mandalas glowing around his palms.

''Cole-'' But he too was stopped in his stopped in his tracks. He immediately disarmed his weapons and rushed over to her. 

''Okay, I need you to stay calm.'' Stephen said, as he pressed her wrist ever so slightly. Then, he lifted the hem of her shirt, to expose the scar, which was now bleeding heavily and emitting an unnatural purple glow. Any other doctor would have panicked at the sight, but Stephen, he was different. He softly ran his fingers over the scar,doing so with exceeding care. Colette winced as his fingertips brushed past her wounded skin. A golden tear escaped her eyes and crashed on the pristine sheets, staining the.

''Now, now.'' Stephen comforted her, looking up,''Don't cry.''

''But it hurts!'' She reasoned, trying her best to not cry and hold back her tears. Stephen promptly pulled out medical supplies from thin air, leaving Peter staring. He gently wiped the blood off and applied a green salve on it. Colette hissed in pain for the salve stung.

''It'll make the pain go away.'' He explained, now wrapping clean linen across her abdomen. She looked gratefully at him.

''Thanks. For everything.'' 

''It's nothing, actually.'' He trailed on,''I ca-oh.''

Colette had wrapped her arms around him, and enveloped him in a warm hug.

And Stephen inexplicably _liked_ having her so close to himself. Infact, they were so close that both could feel the other's heart beat. 

''Can I join?'' Peter asked from the corner.

''Sure.'' 

Peter spread his arms out to the adults. Even the Cloak wanted to partake, it too wrapped itself around them.

''Group hug!'' Peter squealed, making the other two smile.

''Wait a minute.'' The teen looked at them, perplexed,'' _Are your eyes **glowing**?''_

Stephen shrugged his shoulders. The feeling of the glow was lovely. It felt like a surging warmth.

The boy had super strength, and accidently lifted Stephen and Colette in the air. Their chests were now touching, or rather, Colette was pressed into Stephen's chest. 

''I'm sorry.'' Peter said, dropping them both on the floor.

 

But the two were blushing furiously, not even wanting to look at each other. 

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry! I wanted some fluff, I'm selfish!


	10. The Peter Tingle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter is quite sneaky, and Stephen isn't happy with that.

Colette and Peter spent most of their time at the Sanctum, returning to the Compound only at night. Sometimes, Stephen, Peter and Colette would stay up late and eventually doze off on the Sanctum's couch. But needless to say, Peter was starting to notice stuff. He studied the behavior of the two adults, and had come to a conclusion. These were his observations:

 

 **1.** Tea was being brewed more often at the Sanctum and Compound. And suspiciously, Colette, who had never liked tea her whole life, was _drinking_ it.  

 **2.** After each day of practice, Stephen, Peter and Colette would go stargazing on the Sanctum's roof. Peter could have sworn he saw the holding hands every time.

 **3.** Stephen always made sure that he took time to tutor Colette, even if it meant not completing his duties.(Much to Wong's disappointment.)

 **4.** Their fingers brushed past every now and then, and there was a group hug after the end of each day. 

 **5.** Stephen seemed to brighten up every time Colette was present in the Sanctum, no matter how tired he really was.

 **6.** Their eyes glowed each time they touched each other. 

_Fucking glowed._

And Peter had seen too many movies to declare that the two were in love. Even the Cloak seemed to agree. 

After all, when two peoples' eyes glow upon touch, it is supposed to mean magic.

* * *

''Today, young lady, we shall summon a weapon.'' Stephen announced in quite a flourish.

''As you wish, Sir Strange.'' Colette replied back in a similar tone, bowing down for good measure. Stephen chuckled, as he got ready to perform the spell.

''Watch carefully.''

The sorcerer made several hand movements, and a blazing orange shield appeared in both his palms.

''Tao Mandalas.'' He explained,''Can be used to defend as well as attack. Their edges are extremely sharp. So don't even think of running your finger across them.'' 

Stephen said the last sentence a bit firmly, as Colette was about to touch the shield. On his warning, she immediately pulled her hand back. He dismissed them, only for her to ask,''I didn't quite catch that. Can you show it to me again?'' 

He smiled, and summoned the mandalas again. Once she had taken a good look, he put them down.

''Come on.'' Stephen urged her,''You try.''

''Ok.'' 

Colette tried to imitate the hand movements, and closed her eyes. She imagined the shields in her palms, and felt her magic concentrate. She opened her eyes a few moments later to look at her palms.

They were there. 

Except, that they _weren't_ shields.

No, they were fans. Half a meter large, they were truly majestic. Compared to Stephen's mandalas, the fans were crystalline, with a few intricate glyphs in blue and gold. They were as deadly as the were beautiful, and left Colette staring.

She turned them around, wanting to have a better look. She stopped though,when she saw the extremely disturbed look on Stephen. 

''Did I do something wrong?'' She asked, her voice laced with worry.

''No. Of course not.'' Stephen replied back, snapping out of his trance like state,''It's just that, I've only seen one other person summon fans.''

_Kaecilius_

''So,is that a good thing?''

''Of course it is!'' Stephen said quickly. The fans were nothing like Kaecilius' ones, so they were probably different.

The smile returned on Colette's face, illuminating her cheeks. 

''Let's try that again, shall we?'' Stephen asked, summoning his shields.

Colette grinned even wider.

* * *

 

Stephen leaned on the kitchen door. The Sanctum itself, was filled with one of Mozart's symphonies. Colette was humming along to the orchestral piece, a very peculiar thing to do. Sometimes, she would set her knife down and grab the Cloak by its edges, whisking it off to a waltz, often crashing to the floor as if she had two left legs. Blitz was howling to match the music. Stephen wanted so badly to replace the Cloak, to dance with her and probably brace her falls.

The thing he admired most about Colette was that she was different. She preferred classics to the modern pop-culture. The Cloak tickled her, and she fell back on the counter, laughing hysterically. Her laugh sounded like the tinkling of bells and Stephen loved it. It echoed of the walls and did something to Stephen's heart because he should not be feeling so overwhelmed just because someone was smiling so beautifully. 

 

"She's so dreamy, isn't she?"

"Yes." Stephen sighed.

''Her eyes, they're so beautiful.''

''The most beautiful eyes in the world.'' Stephen breathed, his eyes never leaving Colette's entrancing form and gorgeous smile. 

''And you've liked her for ages, haven't you?''

''Yes, I have. You're right.'' He whispered softly.

''Holy shit I was right!''

_What in the name of fucking Dormammu did just happen._

Stephen straightened up like someone physically electrified him and frankly, he would very much prefer that than this because his attention snapped to a face with a cheshire cat grin. He looked blankly at the figure in the red suit hanging upside down from the wall. Spiderman jumped to the floor and pulled the mask off, with a particularly smug look on his face.

''I knew it!'' He punched the air,''I've been observing you two and now my suspicions have been confirmed!'' 

Peter was now threatening to ruin Stephen's integrity.

_No._

"I'm sorry, what are you doing here?" Stephen crossed his arms, trying to come off as intimidating despite the fact that he was blushing crazy,''Aren't you supposed to be at school?''

''Criminals in Boston.'' He replied airily,''And what have _you_ been doing?''

''Nothing?'' Stephen said nervously.

''Definitely not ogling my sister?'' The kid had the audacity to smirk. Stephen suddenly had an urge to wipe this boy's memory.

''No?''

''You do not answer a question with a question.'' Peter said defiantly,''And I've seen how you look at her. You get all smooshy-wooshy with your eyes.''

''I don't.'' Stephen became defensive.

''Oh you, do.'' The boy grinned widely,''That could mean only two things. One, you're plotting to murder her, which is a stupid move 'cause you'll get pulverized by Dad and Mr.Loki. Or two,  you secretly have a crush on her. And you just confirmed yourself which one of the two it is.''

''I'll choose the option none of the above.'' Stephen responded quite promptly.

Peter's face suddenly become serious,''Okay, jokes aside. I know that you like Colette.''

''Hmm?'' Stephen whimpered. He was not used to being told around, but when it came to matters of the heart, he was defenseless. 

''Colette's the most beautiful woman in New York, and possibly the world.'' Peter said.

''She is?''

''Of course. She makes men go drooling behind her! Mr.Loki almost never leaves her alone for that reason. But now, you've got a chance with her and you may as well take it.'' Peter continued. 

''You don't get it.'' Stephen grimaced,''I'm not that good at relationships.''

''Go on.'' Peter spoke in a way like he already knew. 

''I was an asshole. I used to have girls like candies, whenever I wanted one. But then, I met an angel,-''

''Christine?''

''Yeah, Chri-Wait a minute.'' Stephen furrowed his brows,''How do you know?''

''Wikipedia.'' The boy answered freely.

''You googled me?!'' Stephen asked, bewildered.

''As a matter of fact, I did.'' Peter said bravely,''I found out that you were a  _huge_ sourpuss.''

Stephen looked as if he might explode, but the teen simply pointed towards Colette, who was making brownies. 

_Fine._

''Look, I broke Christine's heart.'' Stephen said, a lining of guilt in his voice,''I don't want that to happen to Colette.''

''Well...'' Peter tapped his chin,''Now that you're a wizard-''

''Sorcerer.''

''Now that you're a _sorcerer_ , if that happens you can just turn back time and make it seem like nothing happened.''

''Hmm.'' Stephen narrowed his eyes,''That _could_ be done.''

''One condition, though.'' Peter said, causing the doctor to look at him.

''Yes?''

''One crack in her heart, me, Dad and Mr.Loki will blast you off the earth. Agreed?''

Stephen grinned, extending his hand and shook Peter's.

''Agreed.''

Just then, Colette's sweet voice seconded by Blitz's woof called from the kitchen.

''Boys, lunch is served.''

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it!


	11. Feel the Music in Your Veins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Singing in Tokyo, that's it.
> 
>  
> 
> But is it?

Colette was writing down her newest recipe, a cup of herbal tea by her side and Blitz snoring in her lap. Stephen was there too, meditating as Peter sulked on the couch with a bored expression on his face. 

''Why the long face, Pete?'' She asked, sipping on her tea.

''Nothing.'' He muttered.

''Come on.'' 

''I'm bored! Plus, Ned and I have to do a report on Tokyo that we're supposed to submit next week.''

''Hmm.'' Colette raised an eyebrow to the sky. 

_Tokyo._

 

''Hey, you wanna go to Tokyo?''

''Excuse me?''

''Tokyo, let's go there now.''

''You can't simply  _go_ to Tokyo. You've got to-'' Peter said dumbfounded, Blitz's ears perked up.

''Of course we can, like this.'' Colette replied back, as she put on her sling-ring. She turned to Stephen.

''Stephen, let's go to Tokyo.'' 

''I'm sorry, what?''  The sorcerer said through closed eyes.

''Peter's bored and I am too. And, he's got to make a report, isn't that right, sweetie?'' 

Peter nodded.

''I deny.''

''Don't be such a grouch.'' Colette said sternly and walked over to him. She tugged on his arm, which made the sorcerer snap out from his meditative state. 

''Fine.'' Stephen grumbled, as he rubbed his head,''I can't say no to you anyways.''

Colette checked her watch, and looked at Peter.

''Call Ned, and tell him _not_ to freak out.''  

The boy immediately fished his phone out and dialed. He gave his sister a thumbs-up. She moved her hands along a circular motion, and a sparkling ring appeared in the room, across which stood a dumbfounded Ned. He was about to scream, when Peter ran ahead and clasped his hand over his mouth. The other boy seemed to look at Stephen with astonishment. 

''Stephen, you might want to change. It'd be a  _strange_ sight to see a medieval wizard in Tokyo.'' Colette said smirkingly. The doctor rolled his eyes, and tapped a twice on his chest. The blue robes transformed into a shirt and jeans. Ned's eyes widened. 

''Hi, Ned! It's a pleasure to meet you.'' Colette smiled and extended her hand. Ned's trembling hand met hers and he looked as if he might explode. 

''Peter, are you ready?'' 

''Sure.'' 

But Ned couldn't help but blurt,''Are you a wizard?''

''No. I'm a sorcerer.'' Stephen replied grumpily.

''Do you teach at Hogwarts?''

''Do you want to spend the rest of your life in the dark dimension?''

''No? I guess.'' The boy now had an extremely fearful expression. He leaned over to Peter and whispered.

''What's Colette Stark doing here?! And the weird dude?''

''His name is Doctor Strange, and he's quite nice actually. I told Coco about the report, and she's taking us there.'' Peter answered.

''Can I get her autograph?''

''What?!''

''She's a celebrity, Peter!''

Peter rolled his eyes. Meanwhile Colette had already made a portal. Stephen looked quite impressed. 

''How can she do that?'' Ned asked as he stepped cautiously through the portal.

''She has magic. Jeez Ned!'' Peter snapped at his excited friend. Across the portal was the city square of Tokyo. It was night there, and the whole place was lighted up. Nobody bothered to see the portal amidst the crowd. Colette jumped enthusiastically. She pulled Stephen through the crowd, exploring the place.

''What's with them?'' Ned eyed the duo suspiciously. Peter's lips quirked up in a wry smile.

''You see, the sorcerer has a crush on Coco.''

''Woah.'' Ned gasped. 

''He gets all lovey dovey around her. So, I sneaked up on him yesterday, and found out the truth. And recently, she found out she's a phoenix.''

''You mean, the bird?''

''Yeah. Dad doesn't know yet.''

''Tony Stark doesn't _know_! I like where this is heading.'' 

Peter laughed,''I do too.''

* * *

''Stephen! It's karaoke night!'' Colette exclaimed as she dragged him front of a restaurant,''Can we go, please?''

''I don't have the best voice in the world.''

''It's okay! Come on, just for fun.'' She jumped up, widening her eyes into the best puppy face she could muster. Blitz gave a light woof.

''Okay. Let's go.'' Stephen smiled. Ned and Peter followed. The place was mostly empty, so they had the entire studio to themselves. 

''It's Radioactive, by Imagine Dragons. I love that band!'' Colette squealed. The song appeared on the screen, she tossed microphones to the others, and began singing.

_'Whoa, oh oh_

_Whoa, oh oh.'_

''Come on!'' She urged them,''It's amazing.'' Peter cleared his throat and seconded her, followed by Ned and Stephen.

_'I'm waking up, to ash and dust_

_I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust_

_I'm breathing in, th chemical_

_Woah'_

Colette smiled at Stephen, who returned it. He began the second verse.

_'I'm breaking in, shaping up_

_Then checking out on the prison bunch_

_This is it, the apocalypse_

_Woah'_

All four took a deep breath and sang together.

_'I'm waking up_

_I feel it in my bones_

_Enough, to make my system blow_

_Welcome to the new age, to the new age_

_Welcome to the new age, to the new age_

_Woah, oh, oh, oh, oh, woah, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive.'_

Peter punched the air. 

''Demons next!'' Colette told the keeper.

_'When the days are cold_

_And the cards are fold_

_And the saints we see are all made of gold._

_When your dreams all fail_

_And the ones we hail_

_Are the worst of all_

_And the blood's run stale.'_

Blitz began to howl to the music. Stephen had to admit, he was enjoying himself. Honestly, he'd thought Colette didn't like modern pop music, but this was.....amazing.

_'I want to hide the truth_

_I want to shelter you_

_But with the beast inside_

_There's nowhere we can hide._

_No matter what we breathe_

_We still are made of greed_

_This is my kingdom come_

_This is my kingdom come.'_

And just when Stephen thought it couldn't get any better, barkeeper announced that they were having a dance tonight. And instantly, Colette wanted to go, only to find out what type of dance it was.

 

 

A waltz.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, but I needed some bonding time. I know, the chapter's short.


	12. One Step Forward, Two Steps Backward.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Colette doesn't know how to dance, but luckily for her, Stephen is a pro.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ed Sheeran's 'Perfect' gives me a lot of Stephen vibes, so here you go.

_A waltz._

Colette's enthusiasm suddenly dropped down. Peter shot a sly grin to Ned, who returned it. 

''Ikagen'ni shite!(Come on!)'' The keeper pushed Stephen and Colette into the room. It was an awkward moment, and both refused to look at each other. Stephen let out an edgy laugh as he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. But Colette had problems of her own.

''Stephen?''

''Yeah?''

''I can't dance.''

 _Oh yes._ The memory snapped back to him. Colette had been stumbling repeatedly with the Cloak in the kitchen. 

 

Just great.

''I...um...c-can..-'' Stephen stammered undignifully. He looked at Peter, who was standing just a few metres behind them. The boy, on his cue, mouthed something to Stephen. 

It looked something like..

_Bleach you?_

Stephen mouthed it back to Peter, who shook his head and repeated.

_Teach you._

''Teach you.'' Stephen said to Colette, and at once turned a deep shade of pink. Her cheeks too, flushed a colour to match her hair. 

''Umm-m ss-sure.'' She replied back. Stephen straightened up and swallowed. He shakily slid his arm around her waist,causing their eyes to emit a burning glow and guided her hand to his arm as he took her other hand in his. Colette could feel the trembles from his fingers, and so she held his hand comfortingly. They started off slow, with Colette tripping now and then, but Stephen managed to keep her from collapsing on the floor. 

Then, Peter had an idea. An amazing idea.

He and Ned went over to keeper.

''Mister, do you mind changing the song?'' He asked the old man.

''Sure, which one do you want?'' He replied in a heavily accented voice.

''Perfect, by Ed Sheeran.'' Ned chimed in. On cue, the music changed and Stephen's ears perked up. 

'What did you do?' He mouthed to the teens.

'Here's your chance.' Peter mouthed back, grinning widely. 

 **Keep calm, Stephen!** The sorcerer said to himself. Colette stumbled again, this time, her pencil heels piercing in Stephen's shoe.

''Ow.'' He winced in pain.

''Oh, I'm terribly sorry!'' Colette cried,''Are you okay?''

Stephen nodded, as the first verses of the song could be heard.

_'I found a love for me_

_Darling just dive right in_

_Follow my lead'_

''Just like this, okay?'' He took a step ahead, motioning her to follow him,''One step forward, two steps backwards. You're getting it!''

Colette smiled.

_'Well I found a love, beautiful and sweet_

_Oh, I never knew you were the someone waiting for me_

_'Cause we were just kids when we fell in love_

_Not knowing it was_

_I will not give you up_

_This time.'_

''I just love this song, don't you?'' Colette asked, now getting used to the technique. She moved closer to the sorcerer, and rested her head on his chest. Stephen chuckled nervously and looked at Peter, who gave him a thumbs-up. 

_'But darling, just kiss me slow_

_Your heart is all I own_

_And in your eyes you're holding mine'_

Peter reached forward to grab a drink for himself and Ned.

''Your friend?'' The keeper asked, pointing at Colette.

''Sister.'' Peter corrected him.

_'Baby, I'm dancing in the dark, with you between my arms_

_Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favourite song_

_When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath_

_But you heard it, darling you look, perfect tonight.'_

 

And sure enough, it was a 'perfectly strange' way to start an evening.

* * *

''Real wasabi isn't the green paste you get in the States. The real stuff is rare, and grows only in the stream beds and mountain river valleys of Japan.'' Colette said. They were at a classy sushi restaurant which belonged to Kevin, who was one of her former colleagues. Stephen had been especially jealous when Kevin and Colette exchanged a breezy chef's kiss. 

''So you say, that the wasabi we get at the school fair _isn't_ wasabi?'' Ned asked, his eyes widening with disbelief. Colette solemnly nodded. Peter pounded his fist on the table.

''mY liFe HaS beEn a LiE!'' 

''Well, luckily for you, since we're in Japan, I thought you could taste some of the native stuff.'' She said, smiling. On cue, a server appeared with a platter of sushi and wasabi.

''Go on, see for yourself.''

''Hmm,...'' Peter tried the green paste,''Earthy,...ooh and pungent too.'' 

Colette laughed hysterically,''Who's got the _chef's sense_ now?'' 

Peter huffed irritatedly, and crossed his arms. But that didn't stop him from sticking his fingers in the wasabi. Stephen awkwardly picked up sushi from the plate, using a fork instead of chopsticks. 

''Do you like it?'' Colette asked, her tone particularly mild. 

''I must say that this is amazing.'' Stephen said,''This is definitely ten times better that the western one.'' 

''That's because the green paste we're tricked to is a similar horseradish plant.'' She explained. The sorcerer smiled warmly at her, and she returned it. Peter elbowed Ned, who almost choked on his food.

''That's what I'm talking about.''

* * *

 

 


	13. When life gives you a tail, ears and claws, you use them to kill the person who did that to you

''Where are we going, Stephen?'' Colette asked as the sorcerer pulled her through the corridors of Kamar-Taj. He'd sneaked her away from Peter, who was chatting away with the other students at Kamar-Taj. 

''There's something I want to show you.'' He replied. Colette tried her best to keep up with him, she too being very curious. The duo arrived at a large bronze door. Stephen looked around, to make sure that no one was there and pulled out a silver key from his robes. He placed it in the socket and turned. There were a few mechanical clicks and the door opened. He placed a finger on his lips and gestured Colette to follow him. She returned his gesture and smiled, while tip-toeing inside. 

What was inside was truly amazing. 

The walls were covered with gold, ancient artifacts lying protected on the floor. In the middle of the room, was a large crystalline tablet, with words engraved on it. Colette was absolutely fascinated. Before taking a step forward though, she looked at Stephen, for permission. The sorcerer nodded, smiling. She went closer to the tablet, to find out that the words were actually names, written in a small print. 

''Hey, your name's over here.'' Colette said, tracing her finger over the letters, _''Doctor Stephen Vincent Strange.''_

''I know. That's the List.'' Stephen explained, moving up besides her,''It has the name and information of every sorcerer to learn the Mystic Arts.'' He pressed on his name and a holographic panel appeared with his picture on it. 

''Wow.'' Colette exclaimed, her eyes widening in fascination. Stephen looked at her and dismissed the panel, before pointing to the very end of the List. 

_''Colette Sophia Stark.''_

''Wait.'' She shook her head,''My name is on the List?''

''You have been practicing the Mystic Arts and that makes you a sorcerer.'' He replied. Colette nodded her head. 

''The location of the List is a secret.'' Stephen said,''Only the Sorcerer Supreme knows it, but Wong showed it to me. And now, you do too.''

''Why did you show it to me?'' She asked, perplexed.

''Because I trust you. I know that you will never let another soul know about it, not even Peter.'' He replied, making her blush in response. 

Stephen took Colette's hand in his and placed the key in her palm, closing her fingers over it,''And so, I give you the responsibility of taking care of the key. It is yours to protect and you must let no harm come to it, lest the sorcerers face a great danger.'' 

Colette looked into his glowing eyes.

''But-''

''Promise me.'' 

''I will.'' With that, she went on her tip-toes to kiss Stephen gently on his cheeks.

* * *

 

''Meditation isn't just about closing your eyes. It's about relaxing, letting go from the materialistic world and healing the internal wounds.'' Wong said, sitting cross-legged along with Colette, trying to teach her to meditate.

''Now close your eyes and concentrate on your soul.''

''My soul? Souls aren't exactly visible you kno-''

''Just shut up and do it.''

''Fine.'' Colette said through gritted teeth. She did as she was told, and closed her eyes. It was a beautiful day, and both were sitting out on the porch of Kamar-Taj, as the fresh himalayan wind blew. The breeze blew through Colette's scarlet hair. She began to enjoy meditating. Slowly, she heard the birds chirping in her ears, followed by the sound of waves crashing against the beach. Colette felt herself get weightless,and that was when she opened her eyes.

_Colette was levitating five feet off the ground._

''AAaaHH!'' She screamed, immediately falling from the height and onto the cold stone floor.

''Oh for Vishanti's sake! Stop screaming!'' Wong shouted, him too snapping out of his meditative state. Hearing her scream, Stephen caming rush o the porch, the Cloak draped defensively over his shoulders.

''What happened?'' He asked, helping Colette up.

''Nothing. Just that Wong levitated me  _five feet off the floor!_.'' She replied, genuinely distressed. Stephen protectively shot an angry glance towards the older sorcerer.

''Don't you give me that look.'' Wong snarled irritably,''I was only trying to teach her to meditate!''

''Oh I think she's meditated enough.'' Stephen snapped back and turned his attention to the girl,''Are you hurt?''

Colette shook her head and patted her clothes, indicating that she was alright. Wong simply rolled his eyes.

_'Lovesick idiot.'_

* * *

 

Stephen was teaching the students transformation spells while Colette sat at the side, reading a few books. A particular boy had problems with it, so Stephen went over to help him.

''What is it Christopher?'' He asked the boy.

''I just don't seem to get this spell.'' Christopher replied, sadly.

''That's okay. Let's try again,shall we?'' Stephen smiled at him. Christopher said the wordings again and an amber ball of energy blasted from his hand and went flying across air, hitting Colette straight in the face.

The entire class including Peter fell in a deathly silence. Colette's face twitched. Her eyes broadened and her pupils became slits. Her nose became smaller and sprouted whiskers. Colette's canines turned sharp and her nails transformed into claws. Two large white ears appeared on her head.

The chef let out a deafening scream, before turning around and feeling her back frantically.

''Please, don't let it be what I think it is.'' A second later, she held up a long white tail. Colette glared daggers at Stephen.

 _''Stephen Strange.''_ Her voice was dangerously soft. The sorcerer swallowed and looked back at the teenagers.

''When I say so, you run.''

Colette put on her sling-ring.

''NOW!''

The kids ran, screaming, with Colette and Blitz chasing after them. She very skillfully opened portals underneath their feet, making them fall through, one by one. When all were gone Colette opened one right under Peter.

''Avenge me.'' Peter looked at Stephen, before falling. Colette moved over to trap Stephen.

''Peter's wish.'' Stephen chuckled as she made a portal and grabbed her as he fell through. Both landed in a room full of cushions, along with the other students.

Stephen looked at her, before playfully tossing a pillow at her face.

''This is war, Stephen!'' Colette shouted, shredding the pillow to pieces. She picked up another and threw it at his face, receiving one in return.

''PILLOW FIGHT!'' Stephen yelled picking as many pillows as he could, but Colette already had six levitating in the air. They were hurled at the sorcerer, who used the same trick again.

''Here, kitty kitty!'' He called out teasingly to her, getting a stuffed bear to his face in return. She pounced on him, burying him in the cushions.

The others, well, watched. Peter fished out his phone and began recording the 'war'.

''Is Master Strange really  _playing_?'' A girl asked him.

''No.'' Peter replied, smiling slyly,''He's flirting.''

* * *

 

At the end of the day, Wong was curing Colette with a simple potion, while Stephen stood in the corner rubbing a salve on the claw mark on his face.

Wong looked at him and sighed.

''Why did you call her kitty?''

* * *

 


	14. Drunk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Colette can be so much like her father.
> 
> P.S. This is going to be a small chapter filled with fluff.

_**Five days later** _

Peter opened his eyes to the light coming in through the keyhole of his door. It was well past midnight, but somehow the boy couldn't sleep.

''What time is it, Friday?'' He asked the A.I., who replied back in her mechanical voice.

''2:30 am, Peter. I advise that you go back to sleep.''

''Yeah, yeah I know.'' Peter rubbed his eyes,''What's Colette doing out there?''

''She seems to be working.'' 

Colette had somehow caught on the habit of Tony to stay up late. Peter let out a yawn pulled his suit from the wardrobe. 

''Where are you going?'' Friday asked sternly.

''Going to make sure that my sister sleeps tonight.'' He replied, pulling up the window-sill. He took a bag and wore his mask over his face.

''Karen?'' Peter called out to the A.I in his suit.

''Yes, Peter.'' 

''Look up all the residential info on Stephen.'' Peter swung through the shadows, as he climbed up a building for an aerial view of the sleeping city.

''There seem to be reports of the doctor staying in an apartment in town, but they come from about two years ago.'' She answered.

''Well, that won't do. Karen, scan the area for unnamed sites.'' 

''Okay, give me a minute.'' Karen said,''Downstate in Greenwich village. 177A Bleecker Street, reports of a strange construction.''

Peter smiled,''That's where we'll find our wizard.'' He pulled the hood of his jacket over his head, ready to swing downwards.

* * *

Peter stood in front of the white door, and checked the plaque. He turned the knob and went inside, to find a cozy room with a lit candles all around. 

''Wow.'' Peter gasped,''Our wizard's house is damn good.'' His thoughts were answered seconds later, by a gruff disheveled voice.

''It's 3am, Peter.'' The boy turned around to see Stephen standing on the staircase. He was in blue pajamas, his hair all ruffled. 

_Wait, was that a teddy bear?_

''Is that your bear?'' Peter tried best not to laugh,''You sleep with a _bear?_ ''

Stephen hid the stuffed animal behind his back,''I don't.''

But the boy had already seen it. He went over to the sorcerer and tried to take the bear from him. 

''My bear.'' Stephen snarled, pulling the bear to his chest.

''GIVE ME THE BEAR!'' Peter shouted, snatching the toy. 

''MY BEAR!!'' Stephen screamed back, wanting his bear to himself. Wong appeared on the staircase with an extremely annoyed expression on his face.

''One more noise, and you morons are spending the night in the Dark Dimension. I'm trying to sleep here!'' The asian man said, glancing groggily over their petty fight.

''He's taking my bear!'' Stephen whined, pointing at Peter like a small child.

''You don't want to take Stephen's bear. He gets very cranky over it.'' Wong told Peter rather gloomily.

''But-''

''Just don't'' And Wong disappeared in the darkness. 

''It's okay, Ted. Daddy's got you.'' Stephen clutched his bear protectively, stroking its ears. Peter rolled his eyes.

''See, I hate to break it up to you and your bear but I came here for a reason.'' Peter said, frustrated. 

''And what will that be?'' Stephen asked, snuggling into the stuffed animal.

''Colette isn't sleeping.'' 

''What?'' Stephen's face morphed with worry,''She's still awake?'' 

Peter nodded. The sorcerer snapped his fingers and his pajamas transformed into his robes, complete with the Cloak. His hair was styled perfectly and the bear was nowhere to be seen.

''Wait, where's the bear?'' The boy asked. 

''What bear?''

''The one you were-''

''I have no such bear, Peter.'' Stephen replied sternly,''You must be hallucinating.'' 

''But there wa-''

''Kids these days.'' Stephen huffed irritably. He pulled out his sling-ring and made a portal to the Compound. The sight he saw, wasn't that pleasing. 

Colette's hair was disheveled. There were wine bottles scattered all around the floor. 

_And Stephen knew that they were all the strongest wines._

He approached her, and tried to steer her away from her 'work'. 

''Hey, Stephennn!'' Colette said in a drunken state,''Out and about?''

''You're drunk, Colette.'' 

''What?'' She wheezed, stumbling over to the kitchen counter, as she set the coffee machine to work. Stephen facepalmed. Meanwhile, the girl had already reached for another bottle of rose. She placed both the mug and the bottle to her lips and chugged it down like water. 

''See?'' Peter pointed at his sister,''That's what I'm talking about.'' 

Stephen went over and snatched the empty bottle from Colette, but she simply opened a Champagne. She tipped it over for him. 

''Want...some?''

''No thank, you.'' Stephen politely declined,''But you should stop.''

''Nonsense.'' Colette put the bottle to her lips and emptied it in seconds. 

''Have you been sleeping lately?'' Stephen asked concerningly. 

''Sleep?'' She stumbled backwards,''Who needs sleep? I'm fine.''

''No you aren't.'' Stephen said,''Friday, how long has she been going on like this.''

''Approximately 72 hours, sir.'' The A.I. promptly responded. Stephen looked back at Colette sternly.

''You're going to sleep, _now_.''

''No. I've got work to do, 16 restaurants to run.'' Colette railed on, almost falling on Stephen,''I just need something stronger.'' 

She staggered over to the closet and removed two bottles.

''Stephennn, what happens when you mix Irish vodka and Australian Chardonnay together?'' 

''Oh no, don't even think about it.'' The sorcerer rushed over to her, in a brief attempt to stop her from drinking. But Colette was faster. She ripped the corks off and gulped it down in a single breath, throwing the bottles on the floor. Blitz howled, startled by the crash. Colette swayed for a minute, before collapsing onto the closet. Stephen went over to grab her wrist. 

_She was hot._

No. Her skin literally felt like it was on fire. Stephen turned her around so that she was facing him and worriedly pressed his palm on her neck than on her forehead. 

''You have high fever.'' He concluded, stabilizing her onto a chair.

''A little fever hurts nobody.'' Colette wheezed, leaning in so close to Stephen, that their lips almost brushed past. Stephen could smell the heavy alcohol on her breath.

''But a lot can kill you.'' He handed a glass of water to her, but she refused.

''I don't want that.'' She whined,''Sauvignon Blanc.'' 

''You've had enough alcohol to kill three whales.'' Stephen opened a portal beneath her feet,''And it's time you go to sleep.''

Colette fell through the portal and into Stephen arms. He lifted her in a bridal lit and began walking towards her room.

''I don't want to sleep!'' Colette screamed, kicking her feet in the air as she punched Stephen in his chest,''Sleep is for children!''

''And you are a child.'' Stephen said,''A child to me.''

''Leave me alone, old man!'' Colette punched even harder, making Peter chuckle.

''Old man?'' Stephen raised an eyebrow,''That's an offense.''

Stephen opened the door to her room, which was more like a suite, actually. It was complete with a mini kitchen and garden. He placed her gently on the bed. But Colette wasn't giving up so easily. She fought Stephen, swiping her nails at him as if she had claws.

''How can you have so much alcohol?'' He asked the teenager,''Peter, is this regular?''

''Oh, she does it every night. Dad and her, keep drinking like crazy.'' Peter answered.

''So, that's where the habit's from. Tony should've known better than to introduce his daughter to alcohol.'' Stephen mused,''I'm taking away all your wines, young lady.''

''Noo!'' Colette shouted,''You're so mean!''

''Now, if you're good enough, I might even read you a bedtime story.'' Stephen playfully said, taking the role of a mother very well.

''Really?'' Peter clapped his hands excitedly.

''Yes, really.'' Stephen smiled, pulling a book out of thin air. He sat on the bed next to Colette, and began reading, in Chinese. Peter picked up Blitz and sat comfortably on the couch nearby.

Colette gave up finally, though still in a very drunken state. She pulled the blanket over her legs and listened to the sorcerer. The story was a Chinese tragedy, and Stephen's low, baritone voice was comforting to hear. Even Peter, who couldn't understand a single thing, listened carefully. 

Colette felt her eyes get heavy. She didn't want to stay awake anymore.

Stephen continued, modulating his voice to the language.

The girl's eyes finally closed shut, and her head drooped over Stephen's shoulder. He abruptly stopped reading.

''Oh.'' He threaded his fingers through her hair and closed the book. She looked like a stressed out cat, but so elegant and graceful in her sleep. Stephen gently guided her to the pillow, and spread the Cloak over her. 

''Poor thing.'' He whispered, getting ready to leave. But Colette's fingers had tangled themselves in his. He tried gently to free his hand from her grasp. But her grip was unbelievably strong. 

''Peter!'' Stephen hissed to the boy, who snapped out of his sleepy state.

''What?''

Stephen pointed at their hands.

''Sleep with her.'' The boy dryly said. Stephen turned scarlet.

''I can't _just_  sleep with her!'' He said. 

''Sure you can.'' Peter replied, not caring for Stephen's embarrassment,''If you tell me you haven't slept with a girl before, I won't believe it a bit.''

''Of course, I have!'' Stephen defended himself,''But it was for far more,..um.. _intimate_ reasons.''

''Eww.'' Peter scrinched up his nose,''I swear if you try anything with Colette, I wi-''

_''Peter!''_

''Sorry.''The boy said,''What I mean is, don't leave her alone. Please. She might seem peaceful now, but she has nightmares.''

''Wait.''Stephen's expression turned into one filled with worry,''She has nightmares?''

''Every night. She wakes up screaming.'' 

Stephen would gladly sacrifice his humility if it meant that Colette got to sleep well.

''Um....fine then.'' Stephen awkwardly laid down next to her,''I guess I can adjust for a night.'' 

''Great!'' Peter clapped his hands slowly,''Good Night!'' 

He pranced out of the room punching his hands in the air. 

''Yeah.'' Stephen mused,''Good Night.''

Colette wrapped herself around him, like a teddy bear and shuddered.

''Shh.'' Stephen threaded his fingers through her hair,''It's okay. I'm here.''

* * *

Peter came in an hour later, to check on his sister. He opened the door, to see both Stephen and Colette sleeping peacefully, their legs intertwined. The Cloak had wrapped itself over the duo, and Stephen's arm pulled Colette in a protective embrace. Peter went over to the girl and gently pressed two fingers to her wrist.

_The fever was no longer there._

Peter smiled.

''Hey, Fri.'' He whispered to the A.I..

''Yes, Peter?'' She replied, her mechanical voice just as soft.

''Take a picture of these lovebirds.''

There was a soft clicking noise, indicating the snap of a camera.

''Oh, and Friday?'' The boy prepared to leave.

''Yes?''

''Make sure that nothing disturbs them.''

* * *

 


	15. Some experiences can be quite ghostly.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I've run out of ideas.

Colette woke up late the next morning, with a splitting headache She stretched her arms out and stiffled a yawn, before scratching her messy hair.

''What happened last night?'' She asked Friday groggily, rubbing her eyes.

''You were extremely drunk, last night when Peter decided to call Doctor Strange to help you out.'' 

''Stephen came by?'' Colette tilted her head innocently, a light blush rising to her cheeks.

''He seems to have left you a note.'' The A.I. said, causing her to look over at her bedside table. Sure enough, there was a piece of paper with handwriting Colette guessed to be Stephen's. It was messy and untidy, but Colette didn't care. She knew that it was his best attempt to write with his shaky hands. She read it out loud.

 

_Good Morning, kitten. I hope you slept peacefully. Now, I've placed chamomile and chrysanthemum tea in the kitchen. Drink it two times a day and before going to sleep. It'll make sure you sleep well. I've enchanted your room, so that you won't get nightmares; Peter told me. I've made waffles for you, make sure you eat them. You've had enough alcohol in a week, and I'm taking all your wines away. Don't drink that much, it'll kill you. To be honest, your death will result in your father and the God of Mischief murdering me. So, try not to die, that's my job._

_P.S. I've gone to fight a monster, and will not be back by noon. But, do come by; The Sanctum's open. I wish to teach you something. Follow your heart, the bracelet will lead you there._

_~Doctor's orders._

 

Colette chuckled softly upon reading the note. She folded it up and placed it carefully in her drawer, not wanting to lose it.

''C'mon Blitz.'' Colette called out to the pup, who woke up instantly,''We've got waffles getting cold.''

* * *

 Colette walked aimlessly through New York, covering her head with a scarf and hoodie. People were known to gather around her like crazy, and honestly, Colette didn't need the ruckus today. Though, some passersby often glanced at her, suspiciously, but she walked past quickly. Blitz followed her, unleashed; he had great respect for his carer than to run off. 

 _'Follow your heart'_ Colette's heart wasn't worth following, or so she thought. She didn't feel anything. _'The bracelet will lead you'_ She rolled up the sleeve of her shirt to expose her right wrist, where the blue crystal bracelet Stephen had given her, glimmered in the sunlight. 

For a moment, Colette thought that all of this was gibberish. But googling 'The Sanctum Sanctorum' wasn't going to help either. She felt extremely guilty though, of thinking briefly of Stephen's instructions as nonsense. 

Colette considered turning into a phoenix to have an aerial view of the city, which would in turn help her to find the Sanctum. But Tony Stark's daughter turning into an enormous fire bird wasn't a sight Colette thought the locals could digest. 

Portalling was a thought too, but the Sanctum must have been well protected from preventing any _stranger_ from portalling inside.

And the bracelet was supposed to show her the way, and clearly, it _wasn't_ doing its job well. Colette huffed irritably, when Blitz woofed at her wrist. 

The bracelet was glowing. 

The silver glyphs on the blue crystal lit up, illuminating the skin around it. Colette desperately tried to hide its glow with her sleeve, but it seemed to be made of moonlight. Right then she felt a tug on her heart.

''Just great.'' She muttered under her breath, feeling very much like a puppet. Just like a rag doll, an invisible force picked Colette's arms up and dragged her down the street.

''Stop it!'' She snapped at the force, Blitz even barked at it for good measure, but to no prevail. People stared at the comedic sight of a girl being dragged indefinitely, as Colette tried to hide her face. The force dragged her on for a good ten minutes before dropping her in front of a old library in an undignified heap. The bracelet seemed to glow even brighter as she got close to the building. Blitz barked at its door.

''Thanks for the ride,......something.'' She said, looking around her surroundings. Cautiously, she opened the wooden door, only to find that a wave of energy wash over her. Her surroundings changed, and Colette stood in the Sanctum. 

''Umm, Hi.'' She called out to no one in particular.

 _'Who might you be?'_ A voice said, quite harshly, one which Colette knew wasn't Stephen's.

''Wait, who are you?'' She asked. Even Blitz whimpered and hid behind her legs, as if he too could sense something.

 _'I may be many things, dear. What brings you here?'_ The voice said again, this time, its tone rather soft.

''I'm Stephen's friend, actually.'' Colette replied, her voice growing confident,''He asked me to come here.''

''And that, I did.'' Stephen's voice spoke.

But what Colette saw, wasn't Stephen. 

Not as she was used to seeing him.

* * *

''AHHHHhhhHH!?'' Colette screamed, backing away as she summoned her fans. Her scream cracked the windows and vases.

''Begone, spirit!'' She shouted at the sorcerer,''Where have you kept Stephen? TELL ME THIS INSTANT, OR FACE MY WRATH!'' She blared her fans defensively, hoping to ward off her 'enemy'. 

''I **AM**  Stephen.'' Stephen defended himself. He was in floating in the air and was completely translucent, visible only from the waist upwards. No wonder Colette was so scared. Blitz was nowhere to be seen, hiding behind a table. 

''It's okay.'' Stephen reached out to touch her hand when a book fell off the shelf. Colette screamed even loudly.

''Oh, for Vishanti's sake, stop screaming!'' Stephen said irritably. 

''You're...you're a-a'' Colette pointed at him, her finger shaking with fright,''A GHOST!'' 

She screamed again, causing the Cloak to come over and place its hem over her mouth. 

''Finally.'' Stephen mused, his face visibly calming. Colette's features softened and she gently removed the Cloak's hem from her lips.

''This,'' Stephen pointed to his ghostly appearance,''Is my astral form.''

''So, yo-you aren't...'' Colette whimpered, wording her question carefully,''D-dead?''

''No.'' He said, shaking his translucent head,''At least, not yet.''

''Not yet?'' Colette asked, her voice lined with worry.

''Astral projection is simply pushing one's soul out of his physical form. It can be done willingly by a sorcerer, or when the body cannot bear the stress of physical and mental injuries.'' Stephen explained,''In this case, I would consider the latter.''

''So, you're injured?''

''Yes, and dying.'' Stephen said with absolutely no concern,''Don't bother, I'll be up in a few hours.''

''In a few _hours_!'' Colette exclaimed pushing, or rather swatting, Stephen's astral form aside,''Where is the real you?''

''On the couch.'' He replied dryly. 

Colette hurried over to the couch to find a fainted Stephen lying undignifully. He was terribly injured, cuts everywhere with blood smeared on his face.

''Whatever happened to you?'' She asked anxiously, cupping his bloody cheek, causing her eyes to emit a metallic gold glow.

''Oh, nothing.'' Stephen brushed it off,''Just a bunch of griffins on the loose.''

_''Griffins?''_

''They're nasty creatures, often bringers of chaos. Deliver gory wounds.'' He replied breezily. Colette's eyes fluttered down to his abdomen, where a large gash was staining his robes with blood. 

''They gave you _that_?'' She pointed at the wound, looking at him demandingly.

''Just a minor wound, kitten. It'll heal in a day's time. Nothing to fret about.'' Stephen 'reassured' her.

''Oh, Stephen, why do you have to go alone to fight? You could've called me.'' 

''And you, miss, weren't in the shape to fight. Forget about it, will you?'' He snapped. She gazed over the gash before clicking her fingers to summon a first-aid kit.

''And what do you think you're doing?'' Stephen chuckled, making her groan.

''Helping you, _obviously_.''

''I don't need help. I'm the Sorcerer Supr-''

''Do shut up.'' Colette said in a very British manner. It amused Stephen as it was probably the closest she'd ever get to swearing. She carefully undid the dark blue cloth of his robes, to expose the nasty wound. Stephen blushed terribly, and was terribly grateful to his astral form to hide it.

''It'll need stitches.'' She concluded,''But we don't have anesthesia. I'll have to stitch without it.'' 

''Do what you must.'' Stephen said, his voice softening.

''But it'll hurt, terribly.''

''Pain's an old friend.'' Stephen smiled warmly,''Plus, nothing you do will ever hurt me.''

Now, it was Colette's turn to blush. She turned scarlet to match with her hair, before whispering underneath her breath, _''Sweet talker.''_

She pressed the needle to the wound gently, pulling it in and out, often stopping to look at Stephen for approval.

''Well done.'' Stephen beamed when she finished,''Nice work for a first timer.''

''Such high praise from _the_ Doctor Stephen Strange himself. I must be lucky.'' Colette mused sarcastically,''And mind you, it hasn't been my first time stitching up a wound. The team comes to me with horrible injuries, and I've been able to treat every single one of them.''

''So you're Doctor Stark?''

''I'd take that as an offense.'' Colette mock angrily glared,''But it's you, so I won't.''

''Wow.'' Stephen's eyes widened with amusement,''I can't believe that I just got VIPed by _the_ Colette Stark.'' 

''You're a jerk.'' Colette chuckled, now dabbing Stephen's face with cotton over his wounds ever so gently.

''It's one of the many arts that I've been able to master.'' His astral form disappeared and the physical Stephen woke up with a start, wincing as he braced himself on the couch.

''Oh, now it hurts.'' He grumbled, touching the sewn up wound tenderly.

''Told you.'' Colette smirked,''What was it again that you anted to teach me?''

''Astral Projection.''

''Stephen Strange, don't you dare tell me that you got yourself on death's door to teach me a stupid lesson.'' Colette said darkly, looking at Stephen with a penetrating eye. 

''I didn't.'' Stephen huffed,''Sometimes, people get hurt while fighting. The astral form was totally by chance.''

''You swear?''

''I swear.'' He cupped his trembling hands over her small ones, and gazed in her glowing eyes. They were hypnotic, changing colours from scarlet to gold to orange to scarlet again. The golden flecks in her irises made them look like leaping flames of a well kept fire, warm and inviting. 

Colette too found his eyes different, turning green, blue and grey depending on the light. As they glowed, Stephen's irises emitted a bright aqua, as cool as the sea.

''Your eyes.'' She spoke,''Keep changing colours.''

''Secular heterochromia.'' Stephen explained,''Got it from my mother.''

''She must have beautiful eyes.'' Colette said in awe.

''Your's change too.'' Stephen pointed out, causing her to blush.

''I doubt that's heterochromia. It's existent only in blue tones.'' Colette chuckled.

''I suppose so.'' He agreed. 

She broke away from him and scrinched up her nose comically.

''You stink!'' She said in disgust,''Go have a shower, I'll make lunch.''

Stephen stood up and headed towards his room,''As you say, 'mom'.''

* * *

 

 


	16. The Club.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a joke.  
> Oh yes, and its going to be extremely short.

''Welcome to the Stepholette Club! Here, we discuss about the romantic and slightly sexual tension between Colette Stark and Stephen Strange!'' Peter's voice sounded through the microphone. The group teenagers applauded. Wong eyed an very embarrassed Stephen Strange suspiciously, who had turned scarlet to the tip of his ears. 

''Are you sure she won't find out?'' Stephen asked the older sorcerer, who gave him a reassuring look.

''Relax.'' Wong replied in a cool voice, flashing one of his rare smiles,''I cast the room in the Mirror Dimension.

''Wong, she _mastered_ summoning the mirror dimension last week!''

''Cool down.'' 

''Now, let us present some ideas to Mister Strange!'' Peter squealed, causing the group jeer. A couple of hands shot up to answer, and Stephen looked at the floor to hide his face.

"It's Doctor Strange."

''Yes you there!'' The boy pointed to a girl,''Tell us your opinion.''

''Well, you could confess to her straightaway.'' She said, matter of factly.

''Of course, I never thought of that.'' Stephen replied sarcastically,''Of course I never thought of the VERY THING THAT I'M AFRAID OF! Next!''

A boy named Christopher answered next,''Have you tried flowers? Flowers are one of the ways to woman's heart.''

''Done already. I gave her an orchid flower crown.'' Stephen said dryly,''Next.''

''You can make her breakfast.'' Another girl suggested, only to receive a glare.

''She's a _Michelin-starred chef._  She'll probably hate it. Besides, I made her pancakes once that with too tons of do-overs.'' Stephen said rather dryly.

A boy's hand shot up.

''Yes?'' Peter asked enthusiastically. 

''You could try seducing her.'' The boy slyly said, making Stephen flush crimson.

''I can't stand straight in front of Colette, let alone _seduce_ her!'' He snapped back in an embarrassed voice.

''Seduction is easy.'' The boy breezily said,''All you have to do go close to her an-''

''I would not like to hear the rest of it, thank you very much.'' The sorcerer cut the boy off, at which Wong randomly started laughing. 

Last but not the least, a girl put her hand  up nervously.

''Yes?'' Stephen asked, putting his hand over his forehead. 

''You can take her somewhere she's never been before.''

''Like a date?''

''I don't know but that place must be special. Somewhere that she feels comfortable. It'll be like a date, but not exactly.'' The girl elaborated. Stephen's face brightened.

''That's a really good idea.'' He mused, smiling widely at the girl,''Peter?''

''Yes, Mister Strange?''

''It's _Doctor Strange_. I need you to tell me everything you know about Colette.''


	17. Starry Nights can be Possible Dates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stephen and Colette's first 'date'.

''Let's see...'' Colette mumbled to herself as she penned down her newest recipe,''2 sticks of butter and 1 vanilla pod......''

She clicked her fingers a cup of tea appeared by her side.

Magic really was helpful. 

Four weeks with Stephen, dare she say, had changed her drastically. Tea, a drink she despised, had become a regular way to relax. Blitz had grown up from a small pup to quite a sappy young dog. And the silence that the Compound provided after Peter left for school was intoxicating. 

Leave it to her father to destroy the quietness. 

Colette's Starkphone buzzed through her pockets, playing the distinct _'I am Iron Man'_ by Black Sabbath.

''Hey sweet cheeks!'' Tony's voice blasted from the piece of tech,''Miss me?''

''You go to fight a villain for an _entire_ month and don't bother to leave me call or at least a text.'' Colette snarled,''I've been worried sick about you!''

''Yeah, sorry about that.'' Tony didn't sound a least bit apologetic,''We've just finished dealing with that fucker, and-''

''Language!''

''So we're done with that idiot and Bruce wants to smell the buttercups here, so we'll be back in a day.'' He said breezily.

''How're the rest of my siblings?'' Colette asked.

''They're fine, just a few cuts and bruises here and there.'' He reassured her,''Not to forget that the God of Mischief tried to FUCKING POSSESS ME!''

Colette slapped her forehead,''Tell me about it.''

''It was quite delightful.'' Loki's voice spoke,''But Stark ran around squealing like a scared piglet, so I wasn't able to complete the process.''

Colette stiffled a laugh.

''Don't you DARE laugh, young lady!'' Tony shouted. 

''It was funny, I'll give you that.'' Pepper agreed,''You know, he was in a towel when Loki ambushed him.''

''Really?'' Colette sounded amused,''My, my, Dad. Look how the brave have fallen.''

''Pepper!'' Tony could be heard,''You're a traitor!''

Colette ended the call, giggling. 

Her father was such a drama queen.

* * *

Stephen blocked another one of Colette's attacks, and cornered her to the wall, but she simply vanished in a puff of smoke and appeared behind him. She pulled him by his collar to face her and packed one of her deadly punches to his chest, leaving him temporarily startled as his astral form pushed out and came back in.

''Hey!'' Stephen rubbed his chest,''That's cheating!''

''I thought you said to 'fight as your life depended on it'.'' Colette countered as she helped him up, smirking.

''Yes, but not to threaten mine!''

''Aww.'' Colette put on a sympathetic face,''Did I hurt my wee baby?"

''Snap out of it!'' Stephen snapped, annoyed. He got up and aimed a kick at her ribs. She skillfully swerved against it and grabbed his arm, pinning it against his back. But Stephen had trained for years. He turned her around to free his arms and punched in her stomach. Her astral form leapt out of her body, and looked at Stephen, confused before returning back.

''Got you!'' Stephen smiled victoriously, Colette stumbled backwards, clutching her abdomen. She pressed her eyes shut as if in pain.

''Wait, I didn't hurt you, did I?''  Stephen advanced towards her, his voice genuinely concerned. She nodded her head, still pressing her hand against her stomach.

''I'm so sorry!'' The sorcerer cried, stepping even closer to her and lifting her chin up. But he saw no tears. Instead, Colette gave him a mischievous wink and kicked him hard.

''And I got _you_.'' She finished, smugly,''It's Natasha's signature trick. Make yourself seem weak, and pack the killer blow.''

''I'm gonna have to see Miss Romanov after this.'' Stephen said, though extremely pleased,''And get some tips from her.''

''At least I learnt Astral Projection.''

''All thanks to me, that is.''

''Of course, all thanks to a jerk.''

* * *

 

_ **Later in the evening.** _

''Now don't peep.'' Stephen said, as he placed his trembling hands over Colette's eyes. She smiled in agreement. He gestured the Cloak to follow and stepped through the portal. Stephen helped her through and closed the portal.

''Okay, now you may open your eyes.'' 

Colette opened her eyes to find herself on top of a hill. It was dark already, and a small cottage stood behind them.

''Wow.'' She gasped,''Where are we?''

''Norway.'' Stephen answered,''Consider it as a reward for learning Astral Projection today.''

''Thanks!'' She squeezed his hand gently before going over to sit in the grass. Stephen followed and sat down next to her, the Cloak draping itself over both of them.

''Wait.'' Colette said, as a small ball of energy escaped from her palm and formed a fireplace in front of them. She clicked her fingers and mugs of hot chocolate topped with mini marshmallows appeared in their hands.

''Impressive.'' Stephen praised her,''I might even make you a Master of the Mystic Arts on this level.''

Colette blushed lightly, but was grateful that the dark shadowed it. A minute later, the sky erupted in  a splash of colour.

''Aurora Borealis!'' Colette squealed,''I've always wanted to see it happen naturally.''

''Naturally?''

''When I told Loki, he created an illusion of it in New York's sky.'' She explained,''It was a huge crisis. Headlines of the newspaper.''

''Oh.'' Stephen smiled.

''But how did you know I wanted to see the northern lights?'' Colette asked, perplexed. She was pretty sure she never told Stephen.

''Let's just say I know.'' He answered. The lights gleamed for an hour and ended with the stars twinkling brighter than ever. 

 

''Dad called up this morning.'' Colette said, gazing up at the night sky.

''Did he?''

''They've finished dealing with that moron. He said that they may arrive tomorrow or something.'' Colette continued.

''Well, that'll mean goodbye.'' Stephen said, rather sadly. He'd grown fond of her company and wasn't ready to leave it just yet.

''Not exactly.'' Colette moved closer to him,''You can come by the Compound. And I'll visit the Sanctum too.''

Stephen smiled. 

''What about Mr.Mischievous?'' He asked.

''Loki?''

''Yeah.''

''Don't worry.'' She reassured him,''I'll tell him. He listens to me anyway''

''You seem to be very close to Loki.'' Stephen said, causing her to look up at him.

''He's my brother.'' Colette answered,''We're bonded by blood.''

She parted her locks to show a singular jet black strand of hair, that Stephen swore to have never noticed before. 

''Blood bonds.'' Stephen said almost immediately, recognizing it.

''Yeah.'' Colette agreed,''After I rescued him from the 2012 incident, he's been by me ever since.''

''Rescued?'' Stephen asked,''I heard he murdered about 100 people.''

''He was _brainwashed_.'' She corrected him quite harshly,''I asked Loki about who did it, but he never told me. He insisted that I needn't know.''

''Well, you're crazy.'' Stephen said, making her punch his chest softly,''You might do something unbelievable.''

''Unbelievable, huh?'' Colette mused,''Let me check my record.......oh yes.''

''Go on.''

''I argued with Odin.'' 

''You did WHAT?'' Stephen looked at her, his eyes widening considerably with shock. Colette giggled.

''YOU FOUGHT WITH THE KING OF ASGARD??!!''

''Argued.'' She corrected him,''And with the _father_ of the _Kings_ of Asgard. Thor and Loki are the rightful heirs to the throne.''

''My god.'' Stephen said in awe,''You _are_ crazy.''

''And you aren't?''

''I don't go around fighting with The Allfather.'' Stephen said,''But I did annoy the shit out of a demon.''

Colette didn't even correct his language.

''Wow.'' She praised him,''I'd never have the courage to stand up to a demon.''

''Oh, you do.'' Stephen said, causing her cheeks to heat up slightly,'' And, I _am_ the Sorcerer Supreme, after all.''

''Of course you are.'' Colette elbowed him gently in the ribs. She felt her eyelids get heavier, and stretched her arms out, stiffling a yawn. She rested her head against Stephen's shoulder and shivered.

''Brrrr.'' Colette looked up,''It's cold.'' 

On cue, Stephen pulled the Cloak tighter around them. He was very well aware of how close they were, and could feel it in the glow of his eyes. 

''You're like a living room heater, wizard.'' Colette nuzzled to his chest.

''Since when do phoenixes feel cold?''

''Do shut up, room heater.''

 

Stephen chuckled and ran his fingers through her hair fondly.

''Let's go home.'' Colette said.

''Whatever for?'' He asked,''We've got the entire night.''

''The enchantment you cast is on my room.'' She whispered,''What if I get nightmares?''

''Then I'll stay up the entire night to make sure you don't'' Stephen rested his chin on her head, and placed his arm over her, bringing her close. Their eyes glowed like luminous lights in the darkness.

''Hmmm.'' She hummed, allowing her eyelids to droop shut and submit to the warmth of Stephen's embrace.

''Hush now, kitten.'' Stephen whispered as he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead,''It's getting late.''

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FLUFF


	18. Is this goodbye?

Colette's phone buzzed through her pockets. She ignored and went back to sleep.

It buzzed again.

''Ugghh.'' She moaned and cut it off.

And again.

''OH FOR GOD'S SAKE!'' Colette whipped the phone from her pockets and glared furiously at the dorky picture of Tony. 

''Is something attacking you, kitten?'' Stephen asked groggily, his nose between her hair.

''DAD!''

''Yeah, sweet cheeks.'' Tony sad in his most 'dad' voice,''You and Peter seem to be missing from the Compound.''

''So?''

''So, let me ask you nicely,'' Tony paused for a second,'' _WHERE the fuck are you_?''

''Norway.'' She answered irritably,''Stephen took me to see the Northern Nights.''

''Yes, of course he did.'' He said in a very I-don't-care manner,''I'm sending a jet in five minutes, give me your location.''

''There's no need for that.'' Colette replied,''I'll be there in a minute.''

With that she cut the call and rolled her eyes. 

''What was his problem?'' Stephen asked, getting up and scratching his head.

''I need to go home.'' Colette said,''Or he'll have me grounded for a week.''

''You get grounded?''

''Don't ask.'' 

Stephen pulled the Cloak to himself as Colette pulled out her sling-ring and created a portal. She was rewarded with Tony's shocked look.

''You made that?'' He asked, gesturing to the sparkling portal.

She nodded her head,''Stephen taught me how.''

''The wizard taught you magic?!'' Tony was going crazy now.

''He did.'' She said dryly,''No big deal. And turns out I'm a phoenix, blah, blah blahhh.''

''YOU'RE A WHAT?''

Colette looked at Stephen,''Never mind.'' 

Loki enveloped her a warm hug. 

''So, you brought me any souvenirs?'' She asked, quite smugly.

''Venezuelan coffee.'' The god answered, handing her a packet,''I believe you like it.''

''I do.'' She smiled. 

''Do I need to kill the wizard?''

''Oh no.'' Colette said,''He's quite nice.''

''Daughter of Stark!'' Came a bellowing voice,''We have not seen you since a whole lunar cycle!'' Thor hugged Colette and broke 80% of her ribs.

''There, there big guy.'' She squeaked and tapped his shoulder, wanting to let go. Bucky tapped her on the head like a puppy and Steve broke the remaining 20%. Clint and Sam high-fived her, Bruce gave her a nervous smile and Natasha, Wanda and Pepper kissed her on the cheek.

''Coco,'' Tony asked across the room,''Where's my collection of alcohol?''

Colette turned deep pink. She pointed at Stephen, looking at the floor.

''I destroyed those bottles.'' Stephen said rather proudly, but in turn received a death glare from Tony.

''Where's Peter?'' He asked Colette, moving on from the alcohol.

''At Ned's.'' She answered,''They needed to complete an assignment together.''

''Fine.''

''Are you done interrogating me?''

''Yeah.'' 

The mechanic turned to Stephen.

''Wizard, place your price.'' He said, checking out some files.

''Price?''

''Of course.'' Tony said seriously,''How much do you want for babysitting my kids?''

''Oh no.'' Stephen shook his hands,''I don't want anything. It was a pleasure to look after them.''

''And besides,'' He looked at Colette and winked,''We sorcerers are known to be fantastic babysitters.''

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter! Expect each chapter to be out within two days.


	19. (Love?) Letters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the chapter implies, it's just a letter......and something else.

_ **A Week Later** _

Stephen woke up that morning to the parcel on his nightstand. Besides it was a cup of steaming hot tea, which implied that it was freshly made. Running his hand through his hair, confused, Stephen took the parcel in his hand as he sipped the tea. 

_'To Stephen'_

The tag said. Slowly, Stephen unwrapped the packing paper, to find an envelope and another box. He examined the envelope and found a letter, written in cursive with a baby blue ink, which he supposed to be Colette's handwriting. He read the letter.

_'Good Morning. I wanted to give you the box myself, but you were fast asleep, and I didn't want to wake you up, so I wrote a letter._

_I'm going to Paris to teach a class at Le Cordon Bleu, and will be gone for about a week. Dad insisted on sending Loki, but I appropriately denied. I mean, it's embarrassing to have a bodyguard brother by your side the whole time! Well, I've made breakfast for you and Wong, and made sure that you both are covered for breakfast, lunch and dinner for a week. I've asked one of my restaurants to provide you with meals. Plus, there's six tubs of ice-cream in the refrigerator; Three each with specifically marked names so that you don't_ _fight. I've ordered Levi to make sure you don't get into trouble; It was absolutely necessary to do so, who knows what crazy stuff you can do? And, you may wanna open the box now.'_

On cue, Stephen took the small box in his hands. He pulled the blue paper and uncovered a velveted black case. Inside, were two sleek silver bracelets, engraved with a luminous blue stone. 

_'Put the bracelets on, and press the screen twice.'_

There was a small display on the underside of each bracelet. As told, the doctor put them on and pressed it twice. There were clicks as tiny mechanical structures covered his fingers and formed silver mechanical gloves on his hands.

_'Wait for it.'_

On the next second, the silver surface of the gloves turned invisible. Stephen felt his hands get warm and his fingers slowly began to stop shaking.

''How did she-?!''

He looked at his hands in disbelief and continued to read the letter, his eyes widening.

_'Those are nano tech bracelets. Ever since I saw your hands shake, I've been working on them. It's the least I can do after all that you've done for me. I'm sorry the gloves won't completely cure the scars, but they'll keep them from shaking so bad. I wanted to give them to you the night you took me to see the Aurora Borealis, but I needed the invisibility charm to cast on it. I asked Loki for help. I hope you like them._

_Love,_

_Coco.'_

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugghhh


	20. Author's Note

**Yeah, so HI guys.**

**I hoped you've liked my story so far. I intend to extend it to the events of Infinity War and Endgame, so it's not done yet.**

**Oh, and congratulations to me for getting 358 hits and 14 kudos! :) YAY!! I SEE THIS AS AN ABSOLUTE WIN!;)**

**But please, please review. I need to know what you guys think.**

**Like badly.**

**Please tell me so that I can improve my writing.**

**PLEASE, BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE, I'M BEGGING YOU.**

**So, enough with my nonsensical** **behavior and onward with the story.**

 

 

 

 

 

**Oh, I just realized that I haven't posted a new chapter. Sorry!!!**

* * *

 


	21. Chefnapped

''But, its not done yet.'' Colette said as she opened a bottle of vodka and took a quick drink, making the other trainees chuckle, before emptying some of it in the pan. She tilted the pan towards the gas and it caught a brilliant blue flame which burned for five seconds and died down. The whole class applauded in praise.

''75% of the alcohol burns down,'' She continued,''But leaves 25% behind. And that's the percentage that gives the sauce a wonderful taste.''

She skillfully added the pasta to the sauce, along with vegetables. In the end, Colette served it on a plate along with a sprinkling of Parmesan, a blade of carrot and a singular mint leaf. She finished the dish off with a flourish and tossed the apron to the ground, with pride.

''Bon Appétit.'' Colette said in French, passing the plate to the drooling young chefs.

* * *

 

_**Later t** _ _**hat evening.** _

Colette wrapped her scarf across her neck. It was September, but the chills of winter could be felt. The leaves had already begun to redden, marking fall. Night had fallen over Paris, and Colette walked to the hotel.

The streets were quite lonely and the shadows and darkness played tricks on her eyes. But she had the unmistakable feeling that she was being followed. She turned around.

Nothing.

Colette felt shivers run down her spine, and her heartbeat quickened. She turned back, to make sure.

Still nothing.

Heaving a sigh of reassurance, she turned to the front. Colette found a dark cloaked figure standing in front of her.

''If you want money,'' She said, her voice cracking,''I'll give it to you.''

''Oh no.'' The figure said, in a voice that was highly american and manly,''Money is of no use to me.''

''Wh-who are you ?'' Colette took a step backwards.

''Seems that he never told you. What a shame.'' The man advanced towards her. He pulled back his hood, revealing a dark-skinned man with a cruel expression,''Mordo. Karl Mordo.''

''Wh-what do you want from me?''

''You don't know,'' Mordo laughed,''How predictable.''

Colette smiled nervously.

''Now, look here, honey.'' He said, his voice turning serious,''I need the key.''

''What key?''

''Sometimes, it takes a second time.'' Mordo said,''See, I don't want to hurt you. So, just give me the key and we'll go on our own ways.''

''I don't have the key.'' Colette countered.

''Oh, you do.'' Mordo insisted,''Let's not make this ugly.''

''I don't have it.'' Colette became more confident.

Mordo sighed. Before Colette could do anything, two vermilion whips shot out from his palms and wrapped around her. She began to feel sleepy and weak.

''I had warned you, sweetie.'' Mordo said mock-sadly,''In the end, it always gets ugly.''

The chef collapsed to the ground and the dark sorcerer lifted her like a doll and put her across his shoulder, before creating a portal and stepping through.

But little did Mordo know, the blue crystal bracelet on Colette's wrist glowed softly, invisible to the eye.

* * *

 

Colette had whispered before she lost consciousness.

_''Stephen.''_

* * *

 

 

 

 


	22. Lost

_'Stephen.'_

Stephen woke up with a start. He pulled up his left sleeve to find a burning mark on his wrist. A glowing gold butterfly hovered weakly in front of him, before losing its coloration and falling to the ground, dead.

''No, no ,no!'' The sorcerer muttered frantically as he hurried to the library. He pulled out a book and flipped through the pages, stopping at one. He read it out and a sparkling scarlet ribbon appeared in front of him, but that too lasted three seconds before turning grey.

All the signs meant one thing.

Colette was in danger.

 

Stephen dialed a number on his phone quickly, and bit his lip as he waited. He rolled his eyes when he heard the annoying, cheerful voice.

_'You know who you are calling, so I'm not gonna say 'You have reached the voice-mail box of Anthony Stark...' just like every single moron who sadly lives on this planet. I'm just saying that if you're hearing this, it means I can't answer you, or I don't want to, which is clearly the most probable. Leave a message, or send a text. Ciao!'_

Stephen tried his best to not lose his patience. But this was for Colette, and calling Tony Stark was absolutely essential. He tried again and again, and just when he was about to lose it, the dry voice of Iron Man finally answered.

''C'mon, leave a fucking message, I'm trying to sleep.''

''Stark-''

''Merlin?'' Tony recognized Stephen's voice,''What're you doing up at 2 am? And I don't recall giving you my number.''

''I have my ways, but that's not important right now.'' Stephen hurriedly 'answered' the useless question,''There's an emergency.''

''You must be hallucinating, wizard.'' Tony said back,''If any emergency were there, Friday would have informed me immediately. Wouldn't you, honey?''

''Of course, Mr Stark.'' Friday answered promptly.

''You don't get it!.'' Stephen tried hard not to crush the phone in his palms,''It's Colette! She's in danger!.''

And that did it. Tony jumped up from the bed and furrowed his brows, anxiously,''What?''

''It's true.''

''But she's-''

''Every sorcerer has a ribbon associated with their magic.'' Stephen said, cutting him off,''Colette's ribbon just turned grey.''

''Come to the Compound in five seconds.'' Tony instructed urgently,''I'll call the others.''

* * *

Colette woke up feeling tired. She saw nothing but darkness in front of her, and tried to see. She tried moving her hands but found them to be pinned to the chair she was sitting in, along with her legs. Colette saw that the blue crystal bracelet given to her by Stephen, that used to be on her wrist was no longer there. She attempted to summon her fans but something kept blocking her from connecting to the energy in the air. She didn't feel her magic inside of her and that made it feel cold. But she tried again.

''That doesn't work here.'' Came a voice. The girl flipped her head upwards and looked at the man in front of her. 

''I made sure to cast this room within an energy field that would block your magic.'' The man continued,''I know what you're capable of.''

''Mordo.'' She said through gritted teeth, no longer afraid,''What do you want?''

''That's  _Baron_  Mordo to you.'' Mordo smirkingly corrected her,''And all I ask for is one thing.''

''Which is?'' 

''The key.'' Mordo answered,''Give me the key and maybe I'll spare your magic.''

''I do not have this key you speak of.'' Colette said defiantly, tossing in the chair.

''Oh but you do, sweetie.'' He said in a mock sweet voice,''The key, which Strange entrusted you with.''

''Stra-wait a minute.'' Colette raised an eyebrow,''You know Stephen?''

''Knew.'' Mordo continued,''Me and him were best friends. But alas, no two people can agree on the same topic.''

''What do you mean?!''

''Strange played with the fabrics of time too much than that needed.''

''He would never!''

''But he did.'' Mordo advanced toward her,''He never believed me. And magic used has a cost. A cost that always comes. The bill that always is due.''

Mordo traced her jawline with his finger and smiled sympathetically,''But you, you have earned his trust. His respect. I was there when he gave you the key, and I must have it.''

''Never!'' Colette shouted, seeing no scope to lie anymore.

''Oh no.'' Mordo smiled again, this time his lips curled upward cruelly,''Time to use Plan B.''

* * *

''We can't waste anymore time!'' Tony shouted, hurling a glass across the room,''Let's go!'' The entire team was assembled and Loki was twitching like crazy. 

''We need her location, Tony.'' Pepper said,''Going without that is pointless.''

''And I assume you have put some tracking device in her, haven't you?'' Bruce asked hopefully. Tony looked at the floor in guilt.

''I have.'' Stephen raised his hand,''When Colette first came to the Sanctum, I gave her a bracelet so that she could see past the disguise. But, I also enchanted the bracelet to track her.''

''Great.'' Steve said brightly,''Now, we just need to track the bracelet.''

''The thing is,'' Stephen looked up sadly,''I can't track it. There's something around her,possibly magic, that's blocking her signal.''

''But she is in Paris.'' Thor said,''Why would we need to track her?''

''She's been  _kidnapped_ , Thor!'' Loki snapped at his brother,''It's not like the kidnapper placed her in the city square!''

''Sorry.'' Thor guiltily apologized. 

And just then Friday interrupted them. The main screen in the room buzzed as the view of darkness appeared. There was an icy silence, before a very familiar voice with a British accent spoke through. 

_'Friday?'_

''Colette!'' Stephen rushed to the screen, followed by the others,''Where are you?!''

_'I don't know.'_ The voice said, barely a whisper, _'But I don't have time'_

''What's happening?''Loki asked, brows furrowed anxiously,''Are you okay.''

_'Stephen.'_ Colette whimpered,' _It's Mordo. He wants the key.'_

''What key?'' Tony looked at the sorcerer,''And who's Mordo?''

''Don't worry.'' Stephen said, his voice filled with anger, paying no attention to Tony,''I'll be ther-''

_'He's coming!'_ Colette's voice panicked and the screen went blank. 

''NO!'' Stephen shouted, pounding his fists against the screen.

''What key was she talking about?'' Tony asked again, fixing his eyes on the sorcerer.

''Karl Mordo.'' He replied, his voice shaking,''A dark sorcerer who wants to eliminate magic on the Earth. And for that he needs the List.''

''List?''

''The List contains information of every sorcerer there has ever been. With that, he can track down each one of them and start killing.'' Stephen continued,''But the List is locked in a chamber, which can only be opened by a certain key. Colette protects it. It's the first thing that made her a Master of the Mystic Arts.''

''What?!'' Both Tony and Loki's faces were filled with pure adulterated anger,''You gave her the key on purpose!''

''Can anyone appreciate the fact that she learnt so much in just four weeks?'' Peter chimed in, with a dorky smile on his face.

''Peter, shut it!''

''Fine.'' The boy slouched.

''It's all your fault!'' Loki pointed at Stephen, drawing his daggers,''If you hadn't taught her anything, this wouldn't have happened!''

Stephen couldn't contradict that, of course. He knew he was responsible, and that Colette being in danger was solely due to him. 

''I shouldn't have left her with you.'' Tony glared at the sorcerer, and charged up his blaster, pointing it at him,''You betrayed me.''

''Woah, woah, Tony. Calm down!'' Natasha patted him on his shoulder,''I'm sure he feels terrible about it too. And, we don't want another person hurt.''

''How do you know Colette is hurt?'' Tony questioned her, and she backed off. 

Tony lowered the blaster, but there was pure hatred in his eyes as he looked at Stephen.

* * *

''You're brave.'' Mordo said, as he twirled a knife in his hand,'' I can't believe you had the guts to call with the measly energy I provided you with. Hats of to you for that.''

''I didn't.'' Colette said in a way that sounded unconvincing to her own ears.

''It irks me to how bad you are at lying.'' Mordo sneered,''You know, that if you cut the cartoid artery, you can bleed to death in 5 minutes.''

''Yes.'' Colette growled through her teeth,''I have a Phd in the medical field. It's among the basics.''

''You are smart, sweetie.'' Mordo smiled.

''Don't call me that!''

She glared angrily at him. If only she could use her magic, he'd be smitten. Her eyes fluttered to her bare wrists.

''Where is my bracelet?'' She asked,''What have you done to it?''

''Ah, yes.'' The man removed the crystal object from his pocket,''It's interesting, actually. Shows that Strange cares for you. It took me an hour to break all the enchantments.''

Sure enough, the bracelet did't glimmer as it used to. Instead, it had become dull, and the silver engravings were grey.

''It is of no use to me, though.'' He continued,''I believed it contained the location of the key.'' 

With that he threw the bracelet on the cold stone floor, and it shattered into a million tiny pieces.

''No!'' Colette screamed, her eyes filling up. Mordo pressed the tip of the knife to her cheek and spoke threateningly.

''Look, I'm done playing games.'' He applied force, a drop of golden blood ran down the blade,''Just give me the key and I'll let you live.''

''No.'' Colette said again, looking him sharp in the eyes,''Do whatever you want, but you won't get it.''

''You leave me no choice.'' Mordo dragged the blade across her cheek, cutting through her flesh as a steady stream of gold poured out. She closed her eyes in pain and golden tear fell out, merging with the blood and doing something amazing.

As the tear passed over the cut, the skin stitched itself and the cut healed up. Mordo looked at Colette with a certain curiosity. 

''So, you're not human, are you?'' He spoke, gliding his finger where the cut once had been,''I'd expected that, but not to this extent.''

Colette bared her teeth at Mordo, her canines still sharp from turning into a feline.

''I haven't seen a phoenix in quite a while.'' He continued.

''What do you mean?''

''Give me the key, or there'll be no more in the future.''

* * *

Stephen glanced out of the balcony. He stared into the night sky guiltily, mentally punishing himself. He was never one to cry, though he felt his eyes fill up. The door creaked open and in came Natasha, carrying a glass of water in her hands.

''You haven't slept yet.'' She pointed out, standing next to him.

''How can I?'' Stephen said, almost choking his words out,''How can I rest knowing that something's happening to Colette. Something terrible.''

''You're right.'' She agreed,''Neither of us can. Tony and Loki are busy arguing. But I honestly don't know how that's gonna help.''

''It's all my fault.'' Stephen said, a tear settling on his lashes,''I should've never met her. Mordo knows she's been practicing magic, and that she'll never give up the key. Its his way of hurting me.''

Natasha raised an eyebrow, as if mentally taking notes.

''I'm sorry, but since that one month, Colette and Peter, they've become family. And now, one of them's in trouble?'' The sorcerer looked at her with glassy eyes,''That's why I never want to get my feelings involved. It always ends up in hurting either me, or someone I care about.''

''She's my sister. And if anything, you're part of the Avengers too. That means you're in the family. Don't go hard on yourself.'' Natasha handed him the glass of water, patting him on the back''Here, have some water. It'll make you feel better.''

''Thanks.''

''Sure.''

''Do you have a crush on Colette?''

Stephen nearly spat the water out, and looked at the woman with widened eyes,''I beg your pardon?''

''Don't go innocent here.'' She wagged a finger,''It's obvious. And I'm neither going to kill you for it, nor tell anyone about it.''

He gulped the water down and nodded, before staring in the night sadly again.

''We'll go to find her tomorrow.'' Nat reassured him, before hugging him. One by one Thor, Bruce, Bucky, Wanda, Peter and Steve came in the room and hugged him too. 

They were a family, and when one family member is in trouble, the others come to help.

* * *

 


	23. Illusions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some more angst, I guess? But don't worry. Mordo isn't the asshole in this story. We've got Thanos for that. ;)

_**A day later** _

"I never did tell you about my plan, did I?" Mordo asked, smirking.

"I don't care.'' Colette replied. She'd become weak, and her voice was hoarse.

"Feisty.'' Mordo shook his head,''Very feisty. You're so much like your father.''

''I didn't ask for your opinion.''

''Neither did I.'' Came the reply,''I want the List so that I can track down every sorcerer and snatch their magic.''

''Why?''

''Too many sorcerers. Kamar-Taj takes in every other person it sees, and sorcerers steal magic, corrupt nature with it.'' Mordo hissed irritably,''Sorcerers like you.''

''I was born with my powers.'' Colette protested,''I didn't steal them.''

''Not my concern.'' He brushed her off,''With power comes greed. I'll take the power so that there's no greed.''

''Stephen'll stop you.''

''He won't.'' He laughed,''Because you're gonna be my bargain.''

''Do whatever you want.'' Colette said,''I'm not giving you the Key, if that's the last thing I do.''

''You talk too much.'' Mordo said, his eyes narrowing,''Let's do something to make you stop.''

''I'd like to see you try.''

The sorcerer simply snapped his fingers and Colette felt a splitting pain in her abdomen. The circular scar burned with a purple glow as blood started to leak through the bandages and soaked her shirt.

''AHHHHHHHH!'' She screamed, as he turned his finger and the pain elevated. The torture went on for a good five minutes before she finally gave in, falling unconscious.

''Oh dear.'' Mordo tsked,''I always hate it when things get bloody.'' 

He pulled out a small phial and pressed it to her skin, gathering the golden substance.

''But your blood is too precious to go to waste....'' Mordo then uncuffed her and slung her over his shoulder, leaving behind the gold soaked bandaged and her scarf.

''Come on honey.'' He said, stepping through a portal,''Let's make stuff even more complicated for your dear Stephen.''

* * *

Stephen sat on the couch with a cup of tea in his hands, staring hopelessly at the screen which remained blank. The bracelet had stopped responding two days ago. Stephen's eyes were puffy from the constant crying, the flesh on his arm, raw with the cuts he'd inflicted upon himself. He was pretty sure that the others had noticed his mental breakdown too. 

_ Colette was missing for a week. _

_ And all the information they'd got from her was a twenty second long 'mind-call'. _

How could Stephen rest, knowing that his poor Colette was somewhere unknown, scared?

That wretched key. Why on earth had Stephen given it to Colette, knowing the dangers that would hunt her down and slit her neck if necessary?

Sure, Tony had got the authorities to look for his daughter, who had simply laughed when Stephen told them about Mordo. They only set to work when Loki threatened to kill all of them. 

The news, as always was buzzing with gossip. That of the disappearance of the youngest Michelin-Starred chef in the world. Stephen too had asked the Master of the London Sanctum to search for her, and till date nothing was found. His throat was dry, from eating all that ice-cream as a way to cope up with his brain breaking. The tea felt tasteless and for the first time, Stephen wanted nothing more but to throw it out, if it weren't for Wong who had literally force-fed him the drink. 

The sorcerer stared at the pair of golden bracelets in his palm. They shined glistened in the sunlight, and he inspected them on a closed scale. Engraved under the screen, was something written. Stephen squinted his eyes and read,

_ 'If they can't be healed, they sure can be protected.' _

A tear rolled down Stephen's cheek. The gloves were so efficient, managing to calm down the vigorous trembles of his fingers. Their feel on his skin was so soothing, a sensation that he felt when Colette took his hands in hers. 

How he missed looking into those pools of molten lava, as fiery as ever. Her eyes were hypnotic; one could stare into them and fall weak to the knees. And the warmth, oh, the warmth that spread from the tips of his fingers down to his toes when their eyes glowed. 

 

Stephen had always wondered, fantasized even, what her lips would taste like, pressed against his. He'd always imagined them to be of a chocolatey flavour, accented by cinnamon, hinted by a bit of rosé. Or would it be vanilla? Maybe even coffee, assuming the amount of caffeine she drank.

The thoughts could have gone on for hours, but they didn't. Because Stephen Strange felt pain.

Pain like something he'd never felt before. 

_ Pain he wished would stop. _

Electrical currents blasted through his head, and the Seal of Vishanti burned on his wrist, drawing blood. Stephen screamed, hurling the cup across the room. The Avengers came running after, upon hearing him.

 

''Strange, you alright?'' Clint asked, assessing Stephen's condition.

''Colette!'' Stephen blurted out.

''Here drink this.'' Pepper handed him a glass of water. Stephen gulped down the contents.

''She's in pain!'' He repeated, anguished,"She's been tortured!!"

''Wait.'' Wanda narrowed her eyes,''I think I can do something.''

She hurried over to the sorcerer,''Okay, Strange, calm down. We're gonna track her. Just stay still.'' Wanda's hands lit up with the red magic and she placed one finger each at Stephen's temples. 

''Are you getting anything?'' Loki asked, brows furrowing.

''Yes, but it's very faint.....'' Wanda replied; Stephen doubled over in pain,''It's getting stronger. I think she's saying something.''

''What?''

''La-la to-'' The sokovian struggled to decipher the words. Then, her hands stopped the red smoke and Stephen seemed to ease.

''Spit it out, Wanda!'' Tony shouted, losing patience.

She looked straight at Tony, before answering.

''La tour de Eiffel.''

* * *

Colette found herself again in a dark, empty room. She wasn't tied down to a chair, but she still couldn't do magic. She could sense a high electro-static frequency around her. Colette frantically looked around the space, the stuffy air making her claustrophobic. 

But then, something made her heart stop. A blood-curdling scream echoed throughout the room.  What was more, that the fact that it was familiar.

_Very familiar._

The scream belonged to Stephen, his voice painful and hoarse.

''Stephen!'' She shouted, looking around for the sorcerer,''Where are you?!''

''He is not here.'' Another voice calmly said,''He shall suffer alone.''

''Mordo.'' Colette snarled,''What are you doing to him?''

''Bargaining.'' He simply replied, nowhere to be found,''Give me the key or he'll experience worse.''

''You're lying!'' She spat,''Stephen is stronger. He would never submit to you.''

''You leave me no choice.'' 

The screams became louder, and Colette could hear not only Stephen's but all the Avengers screaming. Peter's light whimpering, Thor's masculine shouts. It brought tears to her eyes, hearing her family in pain, and she fell to the floor, her head in her palms.

''Now...'' Mordo smirkingly asid,''Give me the key.''

But Colette spoke in a muffled voice, still firm.

''No.''

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And, the plot thickens.


	24. Rescued

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a week of searching and pain, the Avengers finally find their Coco.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My first time writing a fic in the first person!

  **Colette**

I open my eyes, and find myself levitating in thin air. There's darkness all around me;not surprising at all, considering the fact that my eyes had become adjusted to the dark. I realize that I'm in nothing but my underwear, violating my privacy.  What was perplexing though, was me floating around twenty feet off the ground. 

I look down at the ground, and a gripping fear settles in my heart. I realize how far I'm from the floor, and how much it'd hurt if I fall down. 

Something seems too read my mind, because that's exactly what happens. I'm dropped to the cold stone floor.

_{Crack}_

There's splitting pain in my chest. I'm sure the fall must've broken a few ribs.But that isn't the end of it. I'm picked up again, and sent flying towards the walls. 

I crash against the other wall. The pain spreads to my arms. There go my arms. 

And finally, I'm finally dropped to the floor after being smashed like a rag doll, breaking the ribs that weren't already broken. A tear slips out of my eye. I can't bear the pain. It's everywhere. In my head, my chest, my limbs, my abdomen, _my heart_. 

Mordo wanted to break me physically if he couldn't mentally. 

I taste metal in my mouth. I spit out whatever it is in front of me. A steady stream of gold drawls out of mouth. My lungs feel heavy.

My blood's choking me.

I feel like dying. I no longer want this pain. A hundred lives aren't worth my own. 

 

And then, I feel a familiar presence. 

I scream. Out of fear, and happiness.

 

It's not Mordo.

 

It's somebody else.

 

Somebody,....whom I love.

* * *

 

The Eiffel Tower stood surprisingly free from tourists. Tony Stark had _bought_ a tourist-free day so that the Avengers could find Colette there. 

Of course, money can literally buy _everything._

 "Do you know the Eiffel Tower's haunted?" Peter said as they examined it. 

"Wait." Bucky furrowed his brows in panic,"Seriously?"

"Yeah." Peter said,"Supposedly some guy proposed to his girlfriend and she said no. So he pushed her right off."

"Wow." Nat kicked a juice carton,"Love is a bitch."

"Language."

"Shut up, Steve." 

"God, Nat." Steve face-palmed,"Ladies don't swear."

"Nat's not a lady." Clint said. 

"If you all don't shut the fuck up, I'm throwing you all off the tower." Tony broke the conversation.

"Then we'll all become ghosts." Peter flailed his arms, imitating a ghost.

"Nonsense." Stephen scrunched his nose up in disgust,"Ghosts aren't real, but spirits are. A spirit can't just _come_ from the Spiritual Realm to the Mortal one."

"Nobody cares."

"Can we please stick to the plan?" The sorcerer pleaded,"God knows what happening to Colette right now."

"You're very concerned, aren't you?" Nat asked, raising an eyebrow cunningly.

"She's my friend."

 _"Girlfriend."_ Peter mouthed, enough to gain a rude gesture from Stephen.

"Hey Strange." Loki called out,"You've got to see this."

"What?" Stephen walked over to the prince. There was a bright blue scarf dripping with gold tied around a pole.

_Colette's scarf._

"It's Colette's!" Stephen took the cloth off the pole. Pinned to it was a whole bundle of bloody bandages. He recognized the pieces of linen.

"H-He knows about her scar." Stephen stammered, his eyes filling up again,"The bandages, he's tortured her." 

"Oh my." Wanna worriedly said, clasping her hand over her mouth.

"Wait." Loki examined the scarf,"There's a note here." 

" _'Come alone if you want to see her alive.'_ " He read it out loud.

"Vision." Tony called out to the bot,"Check how recent this."

"The blood is stale." Vision replied,"From about a day ago. The note, however, is fresh. Written today, I suppose."

"He's here." Stephen concluded.

"Go alone?" Bucky said,"You never know what he'll do to you." 

"He can't kill Colette." Stephen added,"She has the key. If Mordo kills her, he'll never get it."

"So," Tony summed it up,"We go together."

Steve nodded,"Together."

"But," Peter contradicted,"Where?"

The Eiffel Tower wasn't exactly a building. And it was highly unlikely that Mordo kept her up the tower.

"I don't think she's in the tower." Bruce said, looking up at the construction.

"Neither do I." Loki agreed,"If I were to kidnap someone, I'd go underground."

"So there's a gate?" Tony looked around, searching around for an entrance.

"Friday, GPR scan the area."

"It's hollow underneath, with a high electrostatic radiation." 

"Just as I suspected." Loki said, smiling at his discovery. 

Stephen drew a portal on the ground, unearthing a staircase. They Avengers glanced at each other.

"Vision, Thor, Sam, Wanda and Loki." Tony addressed them,"I need you to patrol outside. In case he escapes."

"There's no fun in that!" Thor and Loki simultaneously whined.

"Please." Nat pleaded,"If anything happens, we'll need you."

"Okay." Wanda agreed,"Stay safe."

"We will."

One by one, the Avengers descended into the ground. Steve pulled out his flashlight, but that too went off, because the other electronics weren't working for some odd reason.

"Fri?" Tony called out to the A.I.

"I-I c-can…..signal er-ror.." Was the last they heard from the A.I, before she went dead. The arc reactor flickered in the darkness, as if it too would shut off. Stephen, noticing, conjured a bright orb, illuminating the path ahead.

"Mordo made an energy field." Stephen pointed out,"That's bad." 

Tony's suit was of no use when the arc reactor went out. 

"Wow." He looked at the reactor,"It never usually does that."

And then, they heard a scream. Terrible and shrill, full of pain.

_Colette_

Horrified, they ran towards the voice, calling out her name. And they finally reached her. 

Stephen's blood boiled when he saw her.

She was stripped to her underwear, clothed only in the soiled pastel pink bralette and panties. Her hair was a mess, and she was covered in blood and cuts. The scar on her abdomen was bleeding furiously, and she was on the floor in undignified heap.

"Dad!" She whimpered, tears filling her eyes,"Stephen!" 

"Coco!" Both men cried out simultaneously, and reached out to her. Instead of touching her, though, they banged against a transparent shield. 

Steve threw his shield at the transparent one, but it rebounded back at him. Colette was trapped, or rather, they all were. 

"I must be lucky today." A sleek voice said from the darkness,"The Sorcerer Supreme, and..... _the Avengers._ "

Stephen looked around viciously.

"Mordo!" He shouted,"Show yourself." 

"Do stop shouting." Mordo answered, emerging from the dark on the other side of the shield, clearly annoyed, "I'm having a splitting headache. And you're adding onto it."

"Shut up." Tony growls, backing up the doctor.

"Feisty." Mordo shakes his head,"No wonder where she gets that from."

"Hand Colette back." Stephen summons his mandalas, red with fury.

"I would have. Willingly." Mordo said mock sympathetically,"But,...she's not for sale."

"Sale?" Tony repeated angrily,"You kidnap my daughter and talk about a _sale_? That won't do."

The mechanic tapped on the arc reactor, but the suit never formed. He looked at the dark sorcerer, perplexed. 

"Your suit won't work here, Stark. Neither will any of yours." He pointed dryly at the team,"So quit the drama."

Stephen advanced a step forward, gnashing his teeth," _You release her, Mordo._ " 

"No can do." Mordo scoffs,"But we can…..come to a bargain." 

"What?"

"Nothing much. It's not that I'm going to ask for a sacrifice or a city. But a city would be _very_ temp-"

"Spit it out!"

"Give me the key." Mordo's voice was dead serious now,"And you can take your girl home."

"No!" Colette protested, her voice barely audible,"Stephen, don't do it!"

Stephen thought over it, before finally nodding his head.

"Agreed." 

"Good choice."

"Stephen, what are you doing!?" Colette cried out as Mordo levitated her off the ground and pulled off the shield, dropping her in front of Stephen harshly,"I'm-I'm not worth it. I'm not worth a hundred lives."

"You are." The entire team said in chorus. Stephen immediately helped her up and pulled the Cloak off his shoulders, draping it on her; in a brief attempt to shield her from the cold and cover her half-nakedness. The relic instantly wrapped around her in a playful joy, happy to have its favourite girl back. Stephen held her hand, causing both their eyes to glow as he stood in front of her protectively. 

"Your turn." Mordo licked his lips in anticipation. Stephen pulled out a silver key, much to Colette's horror and levitated it over to Mordo. 

He immediately grasped it, drooling over it in happiness. Tony pulled his daughter in a soft hug, followed by the rest. 

Except Stephen.

He stood there, shields still summoned, determined to protect her at all costs. 

Mordo inspected the key, but then looked up in fury.

"You tricked me!" He shouted, summoning a weapon.

Stephen created a shield over the Avengers, and snarled back.

"I don't care about a lot many people, do not mess with the ones for whom I do."

A heated battle began between the two sorcerers. The Avengers, unable to contribute, stood in the corner and observed, guarding Colette at the same time.

Finally, Stephen had Mordo bound, his hand raised with crystal blade ready to execute. He no longer cared whether the man was his ally before. And that was when, Mordo realised the true power of the Sorcerer Supreme.

"Strange?" He asked softly, as if innocent,"Are you going to kill your best friend? The one man who took you in Kamar-Taj, while the others rejected?"

"You are no friend of mine." Stephen replied, weapon still raised.

"What about your oath, Strange?" Mordo asked hauntingly,"Forgotten that, have you?"

"I swore an oath to do no harm. That was true." The sorcerer agreed,"But after seeing what you have done, I am more than willing to break it. I cannot risk the lives of hundreds to save one. One that is undeserving." 

He pulled down the blade, but a voice stopped him.

"Stephen, no." Colette pried herself away from her family's grasp,"He-he doesn't deserve it."

Stephen looked back at the chef, and solemnly nodded,"You are right."

He turned back to the kidnapper.

"You don't deserve a punishment as noble as death. You don't deserve to live at all. Or a punishment."

"So what are you gonna do?" Mordo scoffed,"Leave me?"

 _"You deserve pain. Pain like you've never known. Pain like you caused to_ **_my_ ** _Colette."_

His Colette, Stephen thought just for a second. How lovely.

With a swift movement, the doctor fished out Mordo's sling ring and made a portal beneath him. The dark sorcerer fell through, screaming, never to be seen again.

"Where did you send him?" Nat asked, eyes growing wide.

"The seventh circle of Helheim." He answered darkly.

"We've got to get her to the hospital." Steve worriedly said, looking at Colette,"She's losing a lot of blood."

Colette felt her head spin. Her vision became hazy, and the Avengers become nothing more than blobs.

"Stephen…." She whispered, as she stumbled backwards, losing her balance. And the last thing she knew before seeing black was falling asleep as she nuzzled to a pair of strong arms that picked her up before she touched the floor.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all your comments and kudos! But please don't be too harsh, it's my first time writing on a social platform. Your opinions help me to become a better writer!


	25. You disappoint me.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stephen visits Colette in the hospital, and she discovers something that the sorcerer shouldn't have done.

Stephen paced down the hospital floor, not even knowing when it had started. The Cloak had taken to trailing him, as he crossed over the same tiles over and over again.

He looked at the clock.

 

_8:00 pm._

 

God, it had been hours since he was here. His stomach hurt with the absence of food, as his head throbbed with the lack of sleep. Stephen finally sat down on the chair, his heart pounding wildly. 

 _Come, on._ He whispered to himself, _She'll be fine._

The Cloak settled on his shoulders, an attempt to warm him in the full blast of the air-conditioning. He swatted it off himself, quite irritably. 

The sorcerer hardly noticed the hand on his shoulder.

"She's awake." Pepper told him.

Stephen closed his eyes in relief. The 80 seconds of carrying Colette from Paris to the Wakandan hospital had been the most wrecking seconds of Stephen's life. He’d opened the portal simultaneously, trying not to be distracted by how small and light she felt in his arms. 

Steve had ran in search of the doctor, and Stephen's heart jolted as he laid her on the operation table. 

'No.' He had whispered, as they pushed him out of the surgery theatre. 

"She wants to meet you." Pepper continued, snapping Stephen out of his thoughts.

"Me?" 

"Yes." She agreed,"And you'd better go quickly. She just has a few minutes."

On cue, he walked into the room. Sure enough, the girl was awake. Pepper closed the door.

"Oh thank God." Stephen let out a sigh of relief, as his heart's quickened beat calmed down.

If Colette had seemed small and weak in his arms, the effect only increased tenfold as the sorcerer looked down at her in the hospital bed. She was wrapped in bandages, and a salve covered her scar. He pulled a chair up to the edge of the bed, feeling too imposing when he was standing. He wanted to hug her, tell her how worried he had been, how much he loved her, kiss her even, but he swallowed his tears instead. Stephen looked into the tired ruby red eyes.

And, as if reading his mind, Colette slowly opened her arms, and Stephen dove right in. He pressed gently, careful enough to not hurt her. It felt good, to have her safe and sound in his arms. Their eyes lit up in a soft glow, illuminating the little space between them.

"Oh, my." Colette smiled weakly, as the sorcerer completely melted onto her. She stroked his dark locks in a motherly manner,"Gotten all soft, have we?"

Stephen's hands reduced shaking, the glow of their eyes seeming to comfort them. They stayed like that for a good, long minute.

"You might want to pull away now." Colette hissed as she squinted her eyes, the pain in her ribs returning,"My ribs won't be able to support your weight for long." 

The sorcerer pulled back almost instantly, sniffing back his tears.

"I'm sorry." 

 

"Whatever for?"

 

"Everything." 

 

"Oh, no." Colette took his hand in hers,"It was never your fault." 

"I gave you the key." Stephen said guiltily,"If there's one person who put you in danger, it's me."

"Hey." She looked into his eyes,"You've already a ton of responsibilities up your sleeves. You just gave one of them to me."

"I knew Mordo wanted the key." Stephen said the name through gritted teeth, flinching at his name,"And I gave it to you regardless."

"It's behind us, now." Colette said, stopping a moment to cough,"He's gone and I'm perfectly safe." 

"No you aren't." Stephen said defiantely,"If anything, you're twice as vulnerable.You better give me the key." 

"About that." Colette said,"I was thinking if I could hold on to it."

"Not for a second longer." Stephen muttered a spell and silver smoke came out of her wrists, materializing into the silver key.

"Stephen-"

"That key's more trouble than it's worth." He cut her off,"And honestly, I don't want you getting yourself in trouble." 

"I don't get myself in trouble."

"Yes you do."

 

"I do not."

 

"You do."

 

"Not."

 

"Well, Mordo was right about one thing." Stephen joked, quitting arguing,"You are _very_ stubborn."

"I grew up with the most stubborn man on the planet as my father."

"Yeah, I guess that counts."

The Cloak, after a good deal of floating around, finally draped itself over Colette, tickling her cheeks lightly. 

"Levi!" She squealed happily, patting the red cloak like it were a dog.

Stephen smiled a little at the cute scene unfolding before him.

"Did you take care of Blitz?" She asked, fighting a failing battle against the Cloak from wrapping her in a burrito.

At his name, bursting through the door came a running dog. He pounced at the bed and licked Colette's face, barking happily.

"He was mostly looked after by Peter." Stephen answered,"But yeah.The dog's fine."

"You little monster." She wrapped her arms around the pup, closing her eyes.

"Though, next time," He continued,"I'm never letting you out of my sight."

"And I'm not letting you out of mine." Colette chuckled,"I mean, you look terrible."

"I _was_ crying and stuff-" 

"You were crying?" 

"All the time." 

 

The chef smiled pleasantly,"Wee baby."

"I guess you can say that." He returned it. Stephen was wearing a long sleeved shirt. As she held his hand, Colette's eyes drifted over to his left arm. It was visibly red and a suspicious red liquid stained the cloth. 

 

Colette just hoped that it was not what she assumed it to be.

 

"Stephen." She said in a soft voice, reaching out to him,"Show me your left arm."

"There's nothing on it." Stephen lied in a tone unconvincing even to his own ears.

"Show it to me." 

"There's nothing on it." He repeated again, much softly.

Stephen stared at him narrowly for a moment, then reached out like a striking snake, seizing Stephen's left forearm.  Before he could protest, Colette had already peeled down his sleeve to reveal angry open wounds lining the raw skin of his arm and the fresh blood explained the stain. She tapped at it grimly, knowingly, making Stephen wince.

"What is this?" She asked calmly.

"There were some griff-" 

"WHAT IS THIS, STEPHEN?" She shouted, though her voice came out rough and ragged,"Why did you do that?" 

"I couldn't bear it." He finally admitted, head hung in shame,"I couldn't stand it while he was torturing you."

"So, you did this?" Colette asked, tears filling up her eyes,"I didn't expect this. Not from you. Did you tell anyone? Does Wong know?"

"No." He answered,"I lived in the Compound for the time."

She held his arm in a grip that was strong, and a bit painful. 

"How many times?" She asked again,"Tell me the truth."

"Two times every day." 

_"You disappoint me."_

She looked at him sadly, as a golden tear dropped onto the cut flesh. The jagged edges healed themselves and the red rashes disappeared. 

" _Never_ ," Colette warned, her voice firm, but melancholy lining it,"Do that again." 

Stephen nodded his head brashly. Colette reached out to him and pulled him in another hug. 

"Stupid wizard." She muttered under her breath, but loud enough for him to hear.

"Idiotic chef." He replied.

Stephen moved closer to the bed, and she rested her head onto his chest, as he nuzzled into her hair. Blitz nestled between them, curling up into a ball. Moments like these were precious, and Stephen wanted to savour every second of it.

"Get some sleep." She said, the morphine's effect returning,"You'll look like the undead if you don't."

"I will." Stephen whispered back, his eyelids getting droopy. The Cloak wrapped itself over all three of them, protecting them from the harsh blast of the air-con. 

Neither noticed as the door quietly opened just a bit and a group of people peeked through. 

"Awww." Natasha gasped at the sleeping trio, as Peter dabbed. He fished his phone out and clicked a picture.

"They're so adorable." Wanda said from behind,"I win!" 

"You do." Bucky agreed,"Steve, pay up."

"Yeah, Rogers." Sam sided him,"You lost."

"C'mon Steve." Natasha held her hand out.

"Fine." The Captain cursed under his breath, ripping a twenty dollar bill from his wallet and slapping it onto Nat's hand,"Why do I enroll myself in these fuc-"

"Language, America." The team whispered in chorus. Steve stormed off, and they slowly closed the door.

 

That night, both Stephen and Colette slept the most soundly they had in a very long time.

* * *

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the next chapter, Stephen decides that it's time he lets Colette know the truth! It'll be out in a day or two's time.


	26. Tunes of Heartbreak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just as the title implies, it's heartbreak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, I've been sick for the past week.

**2 months later.**

_"It might seem crazy what I'm 'bout to say…."_

Stephen sang as he put on a pair of trousers and a shirt. The Cloak fluttered around its Master.

 

_"Sunshine she's here, you can take a break_

_I'm a hot air balloon that could go to space_

_With the air, like I don't care, baby by the way…"_

 

He grabbed the edges of the collar of the Cloak, whisking it away into a dance. The Cloak complied, swaying to his singing as he fixed his hair. He looked into the mirror and looked at himself, before continuing.

 

_"Huh, because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof_

_Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth."_

 

Stephen headed down the stairs, clicking his fingers to the beat. The Cloak trailed after him, bobbing to the rhythm. He entered the kitchen doing a moonwalk, causing Wong to almost spit out his tea. 

 

_"Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you know what happiness is to you_

_Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do~"_

 

Wong looked at him with amusement. Seeing Stephen so happy wasn't something you saw everyday. 

 

_"Here come bad news, talking this and that_

_Well, give me all you got, and don't hold it back_

_Well, I should probably warn you I'll be just fine_

_No offense to you, don't waste your time_

_Here's why-"_

 

"Smelling the buttercups today, eh Strange?" Wong asked, cutting off the song. 

"Hmm." The sorcerer hummed in response, preparing tea and toast for himself.

"What's the occasion?"

Stephen turned around and sat on the chair, facing Wong with a huge dorky smile plastered on his face.

"I'm going to confess to Colette." He replied, sipping the tea gleefully.

"Yeah, it's time you did that." Wong said, retorting back to his newspaper,"Can't have you two flirt in sexual tension for long." 

"We don't 'flirt in sexual tension'."

"You do." Wong started,"Do I need to remind you about all the scenes?"

"You're right, we do." Stephen finished off his breakfast with a flourish and resumed his song.

 

_"Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof."_

 

"Wish me luck, Grumpy!" Stephen called out to the older sorcerer, only to meet with a glare and a half smile.

 

_"Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth_

_Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you know what happiness is to you_

_Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do"_

 

The sorcerer headed out to the streets of New York, swaying his hips as he walked. He danced across the sidewalks, gaining plenty of glares from the pedestrians. 

But he didn't care. This was going to be probably the most important day of his life.

 

_"Hey, come on, uh_

_Bring me down, can't nuthin'_

_Bring me down_

_My level is too high to bring me down_

_Can't nuthin', bring me down_

_I said, let me tell you now, unh_

_Bring me down, can't nuthin', bring me down_

_My level is too high to bring me down_

_Can't nothin' bring me down_

 

_I said_

_Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof_

_Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth_

_Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you know what happiness is to you_

_Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do…"_

 

Stephen waltzed into a flower shop. The florist greeted him pleasantly.

"Good morning, Dr.Strange!" 

"Good morning, Nicole." He returned the smile, leaning on the counter.

"Out and about?" She asked.

"I'm gonna confess to a special someone." The sorcerer blushed a little,"What do you suggest for her?" 

"Ooh." Nicole looked at some roses,"Roses are classics. But I'm guessing that you probably want something exotic." 

"Exactly." Stephen shot finger guns at her, still smiling uncontrollably.

"Well," She said,"Tell me what she likes and I'll arrange some according to that." 

"Orchids." Stephen replied almost instantly,"She loves orchids. Especially the big blood-red ones." 

"Okay, Romeo." Nicole chuckled, pulling out some flowers from the back,"How about these?" 

The flowers were just like the ones he'd seen in Kamar-Taj; deep crimson like the colour of Colette's eyes.

"They're perfect." He said. 

"Anything else?" 

"Put some lilies in 'em." Stephen answered,"Bright blue ones." 

"Okay." The florist added the lilies into the bouquet, and finished off with a golden ribbon around the stalks,"That'll be forty dollars." 

"Here you go." He handed her the money and took the bouquet.

"If you don't mind me asking," Nicole said just as he was about to leave,"Who's the special girl?" 

"Coco." Stephen replied, a bit dreamily at that, and blushed,"Colette Stark." 

"Oh my." The florist's expression suddenly turned worried,"You mean _the_ Colette Stark?" 

"Yeah." 

"Not bring your hopes down or anything," She continued, still holding her worry,"But impressing Colette Stark is impossible.." 

"I know." Stephen brushed her off,"But we'd spent some time together. I'm almost positive she likes me too." 

"Good luck, then." Nicole waved to him, as he pranced out of the shop.

 

_"Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof_

_Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth_

_Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you know what happiness is to you_

_Because I'm happy_

 

_Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do_

_Come on, unh bring me down can't nuthin'_

_Bring me down my level is too high_

_Bring me down can't nuthin'_

_Bring me down, I said_

 

_Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof_

_Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth_

_Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you know what happiness is to you, eh eh eh_

_Because I'm happy_

_Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do…"_

 

Still singing, Stephen went to the corner of the lane and drew his sling-ring out. He checked himself in a pocket mirror for a last time and swiftly made a portal to the Compound.

"Co-" 

"By Jove, do you look handsome!" The chef's voice rang out cheerfully. But, she wasn't talking to him.

Instead, Colette was standing in the middle of the room, looking pretty as usual. And in front of her was…..

 

**Steve**

 

_{CRACK}_

 

The Captain was dressed in a crisp tuxedo, his blond hair slicked down with gel, and held roses in his hand. He looked absolutely stunning. 

Just as Stephen thought it couldn't get any worse, Colette knelt down and teased the petals of the flowers, sniffing them. 

"Roses?" She asked, looking up at Steve, _"That's so romantic."_

 

_{CRASH}_

 

Stephen's heart shattered into a million pieces. The two individuals in question realised the presence of another in the room, just when it was too late.

"Stephen!" Colette smiled at him,"Here for something?" 

"Ding!" The sorcerer imitated the sound of a text, his eyes getting glassy. He hid the bouquet behind his back, trying his best not to cry. 

"Looks like I've got to go. There's umm, an attack in uhhh, Italy and Wong's calling me."

"Stephen are you-" She reached out to him, getting worried.

But he never stayed back to listen.

Stephen opened a portal ran through it, leaving behind Steve and Colette very confused.

* * *

 

As the portal closed, Stephen threw the flowers at the floor, and stormed over to his room. The Cloak trailed behind him, but he swatted it away irritably.

"Strange." Wong called out, putting down his book,"What happened?" 

"NOTHING!" He shouted, banging the door behind him. He threw himself upon the bed, crying into the sheets.

All those times, he thought….

No.

How could he have been so stupid? Colette probably saw him as nothing more than a clingy friend. She deserved somebody younger, somebody more attractive. 

Perhaps he wasn't enough.

And maybe Nicole was right. 

_Impressing Colette Stark is impossible._

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The angst, yo. 
> 
> But keep this in mind, we have no hate towards Steve Rogers. 
> 
>  
> 
> We love Steve Rogers.


	27. Flowers Covered with Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Colette deals with a mythical love disease.

Stephen sent a ball of energy towards the dragon, but the latter simply dodged it, and looked at the sorcerer with amusement. 

"You are weak." The creature said, the words hitting Stephen like a certain realisation; like anchors snapping him into the reality of the situation.

He was losing. 

Badly.

If Stephen were honest, he didn't even know what exactly was going on, or how he even came here in the first place. All that he knew about his condition was that his chest was burning on the inside. Each breath he took filled his lungs with fire, to the extent that could've killed any normal man. 

"Your heart aches, mortal." The dragon bellowed, now circling him like a predator prowling its prey,"It burns to ashes as we speak." 

The Cloak tried its best to warn her master of the coming threat, but in vain. Stephen just stood there like he _wanted_ the pain. He knew it was going to come, now or later.

"Allow me to make the pain go away." 

And just as Stephen was expecting, the dragon shot six scales toward him, impaling him with the weapons. 

He staggered back, the coppery taste of blood filling his mouth as he looked at the beast with glassy eyes. If the pain in his lungs was bad enough, the sensation of being stabbed was even worse. It made the doctor double over in agony, but could do nothing about it, and neither could the Cloak. She herself was almost burned off by the dragon's flames, along with Stephen's entire right sleeve.

Stephen felt his vision go blurry. Maybe he'd ask some other sorcerer to finish the dragon off for him. 

 

He fell back into a portal that appeared out of nowhere; had he conjured it? He couldn't remember. 

 

He could barely make out the first person that came into his mind before his eyes fluttered close.

 

_"Colette…"_

* * *

Colette was up on her bed, typing away at her Macbook, as Blitz snuggled into her side. The only lighting in the room was an open flame, which burned as lively as it levitated. 

 

The fact was, Colette had unusually grown fond of the open lamps at Kamar-Taj and the Sanctum. 

 

She'd thought, 'why not have my very own?' 

The stars shone through the glass dome that covered her room, make a pretty visual to anyone who stepped in.  

Tony, Pepper, Rhodey and Loki weren't home. Loki had gone on one of his 'visits to Mother' and the three were on a business meet in Moscow.

Colette stretched out to grab her mug of chamomile tea, sipping on the perfumed tea. It was comforting, as was the silence and the soft shadows that danced on the walls. She loved the quiet, and closed her eyes. 

She hardly noticed the portal that appeared but snapped up electrified as someone fell through. 

"Stephen?" She squinted her eyes, craning her neck to see the undignified heap. 

The half-burnt Cloak nodded her edge.

"Stephen!" The chef threw the Macbook to the side, and ran towards him, pulling him upwards. She slung his arm over her shoulders and held his waist as she staggered him to the bed. She helped him onto the bed and Blitz immediately looked at the doctor and started licking his face in a brief  attempt to wake him.

"What in the name of Jesus did you fight?!" She cried out frantically as she looked at razor sharp scales,"Friday, scan him and check his vitals!"

"Severe loss of blood. Right lung punctured and major organs injured. Extreme burns too. " The A.I. promptly replied,"Miss, we're losing him."

"No no no no." Colette grabbed Stephen's collar, shaking him,"NO. Stephen, stay with me!"

"Heart beat slowing down." Friday said. 

"Why isn't your astral form coming out?" Colette asked, running her hand through the sorcerer's sweaty hair as her eyes began to fill up,"Friday, are these things venomous?"

"I detect some toxins." Friday replied,"You may want to remove them." 

On cue, the chef pried at the blue robes, hoping to remove them to access the shards better. 

"Curse these robes!" She shouted, having enough with the many belts. Colette snapped her fingers and the robes simply vanished, leaving the sorcerer in nothing but his boxers. Colette tugged at the shards, pulling them out one by one, and throwing them to the side. 

"It's not working, Friday!" She called out to the A.I., panic filling her heart,"Please, I-I don't want him to die." 

Nothing happened. 

Colette gave up trying.

She laid her head down on Stephen’s bare chest, not caring if his blood stained her clothes. as Blitz howled besides her. She listened to the slow beating of his heart, reducing its speed every second and caressed his cheek, looking at him lovingly. 

"Please Stephen.." She whispered, her voice cracking,"Don't die. Please, for me. I won't be able to stand it if you die. _Please, one more magic trick_ _for me._ " 

The light of Colette's eyes illuminated the patch of skin near her cheek. A singular golden tear fell from her lashes and onto Stephen's chest. It rolled downward to one of the wounds, causing the torn tissues to stitch themselves as the entirety of the wound healed up. 

Colette watched in wonder as one-by-one each of the six stab wounds healed and Stephen's skin glowed a metallic colour just like her own for a brief second, before returning back to its  normal colour.

"Heart rate returning to normal." Friday told her and Colette breathed in a sigh. 

Stephen's face calmed down and he opened his eyes, taking in a sharp breath, one which burned his lungs with scalding pain. He began to cough violently, and tasted copper again.

"For the love of God, what’s wrong with you?!" Colette asked, her eyes clouding with worry again. 

But Stephen just went coughing. At last, a small blood covered petal fell from his lips and onto the pristine white sheets, staining them red.

"A flower petal?" Colette said incredulously, tilting her head to the side with curiosity. Stephen coughed up more petals before he tried to answer. 

"Friday." Colette said to the A.I.,"Call Bruce and the others."

"Done."

On cue, the door flew open and peeked in a startled Bruce.

 

"Wait a minute." The scientist asked, in his usual small voice,"Is that Doctor Strange?"

"Yes." Colette answered chastely and Blitz barked in agreement,"But there's no time for that." 

 

"Why are you soaked in blood?"

 

"It's not my-"

 

Before Colette could answer, Nat rushed into the room along with the rest of the Avengers.

"Hey Coc-" The woman looked at her with widened eyes,"OH MY GOD, WHY IS STRANGE NAKED ON YOUR BED?" 

Colette turned deep scarlet,"First of all, it's not what you think it is. We're not-" 

 

"Having sex?" 

 

"What?!" Colette almost choked,"Why would you-" 

She was cut off just as Stephen started coughing again. This time, a whole bunch of blood drenched flowers appeared on the bed. 

"Why the hell is Strange coughing out flowers?" Bucky asked, breaking the awkward silence. 

"Exactly." Colette's voice turned serious,"Stephen portaled here being stabbed with God knows what. He almost died but I saved him with my tears and now he's coughing out flowers!" 

"You saved him with your tears?" Wands asked incredulously. 

"It's a phoenix thing." Peter told her,"You know, their tears have healing properties and stuff."

"Oh." The whole team said in chorus. 

"Bruce." Colette called the scientist,"Do you know anything about these daggers, or why he's coughing flowers?"

"That's very queer." Bruce stepped front to see the weapons,"I have no idea what's going on." 

"Thor, what about you?" 

"We have not seen such an ailment in Asgard." The God guiltily said,"Apologies for not being of any help." 

"If only Loki were here." Colette slumped against the backrest,"He'd know what this is." 

"You could try Wong." Peter shrugged his shoulders,"You know he's a sorcerer too." 

"Of course." Colette jumped up, and fished her Stark Phone out,"I'll just call hi-" 

"I'm already here." The baritone voice of the elder sorcerer was distinct. Colette turned around to see a portal form right next to her bed. 

"How'd you know he was here?" 

"If there's one place Strange would go running to, it's your house." Wong answered, raising giggles from the Avengers, and making Colette go pink. He walked over to the Sorcerer Supreme and looked at him, rolling his eyes.

"You go to fight a dragon alone like a fool." Wong sighed, as he muttered a spell.

"Wait. He fought a **dragon**?" Colette asked, her eyes burning with anger and amusement.

 

"Yes." 

 

"What dragon?"

 

"Smaug."

 

"Peter, shut up!"

 

"A Japanese dragon." 

 

"That dragon's gonna have bad days." 

 

"He's dead. Don't worry." 

Wong cast glyphs on Stephen’s forehead, and observed the bloody flowers. He dismissed them after a while and said finally. 

"He has contracted Hanahaki." Wong looked at Colette. 

 

"Hana-what?" Clint asked. 

 

"Hanahaki." Wong repeated again,"It's a disease prevalent in sorcerers that feeds on feelings of unrequited love. If not cured, it ends in the victim choking himself to death." 

"Unrequited love?" Steve summed it up, with just a fleeting defensive glance on Nat,"You mean he has a crush, right?" 

"Absolutely." The sorcerer affirmed,"Though I wonder how drastically it has grown. The disease takes weeks before the flowers start showing up." 

"The dragon." Peter answered, moving to pick up the scales,"Maybe it knew he was suffering, and gave him a more acute attack." 

"That could be said." Wong said. 

"How do we cure it?" Colette asked, casting a spell on the Cloak to mend it. 

"A plant of the enamoured's favourite flowers has grown over his lungs." Wong answered,"The roots could be surgically removed, but that'll result in him losing his feeling of love forev-" 

"We can't do that." Colette cut him off almost instantaneously,"There has to be some other way." 

"There is." Wong said,"The feeling of love must be returned." 

"By love," Vision stepped forth, tightening his hand over Wanda's,"Do you mean familial or romantic?" 

"These diseases are usually linked with romantic love." Wong answered,"We have various cursed objects like such at Kamar-Taj. A glass slipper that turns you into pumpkins and many more." 

"So the Cinderella story," Peter squinted his eyes,"It's real?" 

 

"Not the version you know." Sam piped in.

 

"Explain." 

 

"In the real version, the stepsisters cut off their heels and toes to fit the glass slipper." 

 

Peter scrunched up his nose in disgust,"That's horrible." 

"Anyway." Colette cut the unnecessary discussion off,"How much time do we have?" 

"I'd say anytime between 2-3 hours at the most." Wong opened up a portal and stepped through,"I would only delay you. You'd better start searching for the enamoured." 

As soon as the portal closed, the entire team pointed at Colette,"It's you!" 

"Me?" Colette turned magenta,"Nonsense. I heard Stephen had a girlfriend before, Christine maybe?" 

"What are you talking about?" Peter shook his head,"He broke up with Christine years ago. It's a hundred and one percent you." 

"Yeah." Nat agreed,"When you were captured by Mordo, his behaviour, it gave him away. He's into you without a doubt." 

"He gets all lovey-dovey with his eyes." Bucky imitated the sorcerer,"It's gotta be you." 

The Cloak floated over and draped itself over Colette's shoulders, looking just as majestic as it had on Stephen. 

"Plus," Sam said, grinning widely,"We've got proof. Friday, open folder 13-C." 

"Here." The A.I obeyed, and pictures pulled up all over the room. Colette's blush spread over to her ears as she saw each photograph.

The first one, Stephen teaching Colette to dance in Tokyo.

 

The second, Stephen and Colette pillow-fighting.

 

The third, both of them sleeping soundly, legs intwined on Colette's bed.

 

Stephen and Colette sleeping together in the hospital.

 

Stephen and Colette stargazing.

 

Stephen and Colette making dinner.

 

Stephen and Colette laughing together.

 

Colette kissing Stephen on his cheek.

"Where did you get all of these?" Colette asked in embarrassment and terror.

"We have our ways." The team chimed.

"Admit it, Daughter of Stark, have you never felt the sparkles with the wizard?" Thor asked. 

Colette looked at Stephen, then at her family,"I-I have." 

"There it is!" The team cheered. 

"Stephen likes you." Peter said at last, stepping toward Colette,"He really-really likes you." 

"I wouldn't blame him." Steve muttered under his breath. 

 

"What was that?" 

 

"Nothing." The captain cleared his throat,"Point is, he's dying. Do it for him." 

Colette slowly walked over to the bed, and sat down next to the sick sorcerer. She took his hand in hers and sighed. 

 

_"Why, stupid wizard?"_

 

Her heart in her throat, Colette swallowed a breath. 

 

"C'mon." The team chorused like a bunch of parakeets. 

Colette looked at Stephen again. God was it difficult to confess. Even more when you know that your man's going to die if you don't. 

 

"Stephen-I….."

 

The moment seemed like centuries. 

 

"Go on." The others ghosted back. 

 

"I love…." 

 

"That's it." 

 

Colette leaned in over the sorcerer's face slightly, and finally finished off with a soft kiss on his nose. 

 

 

_".....you."_

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Finally, after 26 chapters do we have the confession.


	28. You're Invited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Parties yo

The doorbell on the New York Sanctum Sanctorum caused Wong to flinch. He lazily stood up from his book, and headed towards the door. It was quite unusual though, no one ever bothered with the small dusty library at Bleecker Street, let alone visit it. 

 

The old sorcerer grumbled as he opened the door to find a young mailman on the steps.

 

"I have-" He started. 

"Wrong address…." Wong cut him off, not wanting to hear any of it. People hardly, or rather  _ never  _ delivered letters to the Sanctum. Plus, it'd been decades since anybody'd written to Wong. They'd had a letter once, a year ago, but that was from Stephen's ex-girlfriend that had him crying the entire night.

"I'm quite sure this the right address, sir." The mailman said defiantly, stopping Wong from closing the door,"This is 177A Bleecker Street, right?" 

"Yes." Wong replied dryly,"What do you want?"

"Does," The boy squinted his eyes to read the name,"Doctor Stephen Strange live here?" 

 

"Yes." 

 

"Here's a letter for him." Wong was handed a sleek envelope, with the address and  _ 'Doctor Stephen Strange'  _ written in slanting cursive. 

Wong closed the door and hollered on top of his lungs.

 

"STRANGE!" 

* * *

Stephen Strange was sprawled out on the bed, propped up on his elbow as he read a particularly riveting book on demons. The Cloak rested on him from his waist-down as a blanket shielding him from the early December cold. 

 

"STRANGE!" 

 

Stephen perked up as he heard the shout.

 

"Yes, Wong?"

 

"You've got mail." 

 

Mail? Stephen thought to himself, keeping the book aside. The Cloak dropped itself at his shoulders as he trotted down the stairs. Wong tossed him the envelope and Stephen studied it narrowly, before recognizing where it was from. 

The envelope had the distinctive small silver text on its edge.

_ 'Stark Industries'  _

"Seems your girlfriend sent you a love letter," Wong mused, making Stephen flush, _ "How romantic."  _

"She's not my girlfriend." The latter said with a straight face, though the jealousy was rather obvious in his tone. 

"She is. She confessed." Wong contradicted, earning a glare.

 

Wong had told him about the disease he'd been suffering from. 'Hanahaki' or something. Nonsense, he'd called it.

 

"We're not official." Stephen replied coldly,"And I'm pretty sure she did it for the sake of doing it."

Stephen felt guilt cut through his heart as he said that. He remembered opening his eyes to a pair of extremely worried ones that day, and a pile of bloody orchids on the white sheets beside him. He'd taken one look at himself, then at Colette and finally at the other Avengers, before opening a portal to the Sanctum without another word. 

Colette had dropped by the Sanctum after that, but Stephen avoided her. He'd cast a spell to keep her out, and when she broke it, he'd screamed at her mindlessly, not giving her a chance to speak. And when she  _ did  _ start explaining, he shouted even more. He ripped off the silver bracelets she'd given him, slammed them hastily on her palms, and almost threw her out. 

And then, he'd cried. Stephen never thought that Colette would ever forgive him after the way he'd behaved. But in his defense, the scene did seem rather real too. Colette was looming suspiciously over Steve, and that made Stephen envy him even more.

 

The sorcerer slowly opened the envelope, his hands trembling as he did so. There were three tickets fastened onto the edge of the letter. Stephen narrowed his eyes and read out loud.

 

_ 'Stark Industries cordially invites you to the very anticipated Winter Gala commemorating the fifth anniversary of the Avengers. _

__

_ Friday, December first, _

_ Two thousand seventeen, _

_ From seven o’clock to midnight, _

_ 890 Fifth Avenue _

_ Manhattan, New York City.' _

 

"Well, have fun." Stephen said, tossing the tickets to Wong, who looked at him with disappointment. 

 

"They're not for me," Wong said solemnly,"They're for you." 

"Love the humor," Stephen shot finger guns at him,"But I'm not in the mood." 

"There's something else on the letter." Wong ignored him,"Read it out." 

Stephen rolled his eyes and read the pretty cursive he recognised. 

_ 'I'm sorry.' _

"Go on, Strange." Wong elbowed him softly,"Your girlfriend's calling you." 

Stephen flushed pink, the color tiding over to his ears.

"She's not my girlfriend." He repeated, more firmly than before, and quite difficultly, returned to his composed self,"By the way, why are  _ you _ so desperate for me to go to the gala?"

"If there's one thing I know about women," Wong replied dryly,"You should  never decline their invites." 

The Cloak wagged its collar hopefully. If he were being honest, Stephen desperately wanted to go to the gala. He wanted to see Colette dress up, to see her pretty up  _ for  _ him. To have an official dance with her. And perhaps, be the one to steal Colette Stark's first kiss.

"What if  _ he's _ there?" Stephen asked, his voice lining with indignation.

"Of course he'll be there!" Wong chided him,"Why won't the leader of the Avengers be at the  _ anniversary _ of the Avengers?! Stop spewing your jealousy!"

Then, Stephen asked again.

 

"I mean, what if Rogers kisses her?" The younger sorcerer's voice was soft, barely audible even.

 

Wong sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose. 

 

"Have you  _ ever _ watched the cheesy news? Or read magazines perhaps?" Wong asked him, rolling his eyes,"Colette Stark has  _ never _ been kissed by anyone."

 

"I  _ know _ that-"

 

"You want to kiss her, don't you?" 

Stephen blushed a crimson similar to the Cloak. He looked down at the wooden floor in embarrassment. The Cloak flew around rapidly before settling at Stephen neck like a scarf.

"Wow." Wong mused in amusement,"It surprises me how much you blush. You're practically living ketchup right now."

"How about you try having a crush?!" Stephen snapped at him,"It's not easy crushing on the daughter of the richest man alive!" 

"Whatever." Wong brushed him off.

"Easy for you to say. It takes a lot of determination, coordination, imagination, fascination, _ menstruation- _ " 

 

"What?" 

 

"Nothing."

 

"You'd better start preparing." Wong returned to his books," I know how long it takes for you to dress up." 

 

"You aren't coming?" 

 

"No." The older sorcerer replied,"Someone has to take care of the Sanctum while it's master goes to party with his girlfriend." 

 

"She's not my-" 

 

"Shut up, will you?" 

"What are you reading?" Stephen narrowed his eyes at the spines of the leatherbound books, and snatched them efficiently, reading the titles with amusement. 

 

"Parenting 101: Because kids don't come with instructions, Controlling your uncontrollable child, The perfect guide to children." Stephen shot Wong a smirk,"You having kids, Wong?"

 

"Of course not." Wong answered in his usual bored, baritone voice,"I need help managing your behaviour." 

 

"I am NOT a child." 

 

"You behave like one." 

 

Stephen crossed his arms in a pout and flopped onto the couch.

"Oh look, I'm a little brat, annoying and stuff-blah blah." He whined in a high voice,"Stop parenting me Wong." 

"I would if you stop acting like a problem child." Wong took back his books,"Now go dress up before I kick you in the Dark Dimension." 

Stephen headed back to his room, after shooting Wong a cheeky smile. The Cloak trailed behind him happily.

"Cloak, you aren't going." 

The relic raised its edges questioningly. Wong looked at it sternly.

"I am not having you fly around exposing the Mystic Arts in a room full of people." Wong wagged a finger at the Cloak. It drooped depressingly. 

 

"C'mon Wong. You're making her sad." Stephen called out from the stairs. 

"Who's her?"

"Levi." 

"You gave the Cloak of Levitation a name?"

"No. Coco did."

Stephen assured him as he left,"Don't worry. I'll disguise it." 

"You will." Wong agreed,"Now get out of my sight." 

"I'm gonna kiss her~"

 

Wong almost committed suicide then. 

  
  
  
  
  
  



	29. Gaurdian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is basically an interlude.

Colette Stark has the strangest dreams. 

She dreams of monsters, not fairies, which swing onto her path, that extinguish the steadfast flames of fire in her beating heart and stop her from taking another step. The vines of midnight black crawl up her ankles, slowly inching out to strangle her, and squeeze the magic out of her. She falls into the pits of infinite darkness, the vines pulling her into their abode as she screams her throat away.

But worst of all, she sees death. Each of her family slowly getting tortured before their eyes roll up, as she is forced to watch their bitter end, helpless, with nothing she could do about it. She weeps for them, but her golden tears are ash black, eating up her rosy cheeks with their darkness and nothing makes sense anymore. 

She wakes up with a jolt, beads of sweat trickling down her temples as her heart pounds in her chest. Colette can swear she could feel the vines curl up her neck, tightening slowly as her breath flutters away. The room feels stuffy, not from ventilation though, but fear. 

She falls back on the bed, trying to calm herself down by looking at the sky above, but it doesn't work. Colette listens to the tick-tocking of the grandfather clock in her room; it sounds like it had been counting down someone's life. The dread slowly fill her in. 

Colette's eyes grow wide. 

She rips herself from the bed, and heads down to each of the other rooms in the Compound. Colette opens the door of Tony's bedroom, and heaves a sigh of relief. Her father is still there, Pepper by his side, fast asleep. Next, she quietly steals into all the rooms, checking on the Avengers like a secret guardian, as she creates a shield around each one of them. 

Colette then pulls out her sling ring, and skillfully makes a portal. She steps in, and giggles at Wong's loud snores from the room beside. She quietly turns the handle and tip-toes into Stephen's room. She looks around, just to make sure the sorcerer isn't in his astral form.

There's a sudden swoosh and Colette whips around, but only to find the Cloak floating in the air. She gestures to it buy placing a finger on her lips and heads toward Stephen. There's a sheen of sweat on his forehead, and he's in an uncomfortable position.  His brows are furrowed, and Colette suspects that he too must have had a nightmare. She watches him kick off the sheets, and her eyes soften. 

It's a cold night, she thinks. 

Stephen might catch a cold.

Not on her watch. 

Instinctively, she gently guides him into a proper posture and straightens out the sheets. She mutters a spell and a thread of scarlet energy passes from her fingertips to him. Stephen's expression calms down, and his chest falls up and down in a steady rhythm. Colette casts the protection charm on the room, and just as she is about to leave, the feeble grip on her palm stops her. Stephen's fingers are entwined with hers.

"Co...lette." He mumbles in his deep voice, but Colette is a hundred percent sure he's fast asleep,".....stay." 

Colette gives him a sad smile, and plants a soft kiss on his nose, her bottom lip just grazing a little bit lower,"I'm sorry." 

She leaves the room painfully, her heart wanting to comfort Stephen, but she doesn't. She'd known that he was angry, for some reason, and wanted to be left alone. Colette opens a portal, not to her room, but to the lawn. She sprawls out onto it in a way she would never want anyone else to see. The grass feels much more comfortable than her bed, and the chirping of the crickets almost make her want to sleep again.

Sometimes, she can only sleep because of the view of the galaxy floats over her, the emptiness of it equaling to that in the chambers of her heart. She looks up at it, the stars reminding her of Stephen's wonderful eyes, and her heart leaps just a bit. She doesn't know about their future together, but she is certain that he and Wong are family. And always will be.

Colette loves her family, more than anything in the world, and she fears for them. There's a reason why she begs to go on every mission, though she knows that they will not fail; they never have, but she still hopes that nothing goes wrong. She wants to be the protector, the shield that will protect her family from any threat, even if she herself crumbles to nothing.

Colette isn't scared for herself, she's worried that something would happen to her family, and she's dreamt about it too. She fears that someday, they'll all turn to dust and she won't be there to save them. 

Colette hopes that it never comes, but somewhere deep inside her heart, she knows it will. But now, as long as the fire in her heart leap up high, if anyone,  _ anyone  _ tried to take her family away from her, or harm them in any way, they're more than welcome to try, because Colette swears she would then show the bloodlust the legends expect a phoenix to have. 

 

She would close her eyes and kill.

* * *

 


	30. When it Snows Outside, and You Stand under Mistletoe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's almost Christmas, y'all.

Colette put on an Asgardian off-shoulders turquoise gown, a present from Frigga, which clinched at her small waist and cascaded down. A crystal pendant adorned her neck, and she had her scarlet hair up in an enormous braided bun; God knew how many pins it needed, with her bangs and forelock free. It wasn't that she didn't like the dress, but Jesus was it uncomfortable.

Taking a deep breath, she headed downstairs. The gala was held at the lawn, on Colette's perfectly trimmed and watered grass, which she had grown painstakingly without any magic, much to her disappointment. Though she  _ could _ use her powers and return the grass to its original form, she wasn't  _ that _ enthusiastic about everyone trampling on  _ her  _ lawns. The lawn was surprisingly warm, the cold and snow kept out by a powerful spell of both Loki and Colette's. The lake in front of the Compound had already frozen over, the ideal place for an idiot to go ice-skating. Colette's dressing choice wasn't the best for a snowy evening, but she had sound reasons to choose the look. 

She inwardly groaned when the lights and cameras immediately flipped to her as she entered the lit gardens.

"Miss Stark!" A woman asked Colette, microphone at her throat,"How are you this evening?" 

"I'm doing quite well." She answered, with the sweetest fake smile she could muster,"How are you?"

"I'm fantastic." The reporter threw out her next question to the approaching Tony Stark,"Mister Stark, what so you think of your daughter's look tonight?"

"I'm pretty impressed." Tony slung his arm over her shoulders, smiling widely,"But who does she get that glamour from? Me, of course."

Colette grinned back up at her father, the smile this time pure and heartfelt. The reporter's next question however, wiped the smiles off both father and daughter's faces.

"Will we see your romantic side tonight, Miss Stark?"

It was a common question, Colette thought. She'd been asked that at every party she's been to. But before she could answer, Tony spat out with obvious venom,"No. She doesn't know anything about a romantic side. She doesn't have a romantic side. And she never  _ ever  _ will have a romantic side." 

Colette giggled at the repetition of the word 'romantic'. With that, she dodged the clutches of the sharks, leaving Tony to deal with them. In the middle of the garden was a large pine tree, glowing luminescent green with stockings everywhere. 

Yes. The Avengers loved Christmas. It was their favourite time of the year, to see the streets of New York adorned with decorations. If he were being honest, even Loki loved Christmas, though he would never admit it.

Colette scanned the sea of people for Stephen.

He wasn't there.

Her heart sank, a bit. She looked at the Avengers blasting the serene gala with Pop songs and with Peter in lead, dressed in evening wear. Nat donned a silver gown while Wanda was dressed in a dark blue dress. All the boys had worn tuxedos, hell even Blitz was in a mini tux, except for Clint and Sam, who seemed to have no regard for formal attire. They dressed in simple shirts and jeans, with huge dorky smiles plastered onto their faces. 

Colette smiled sadly, when she saw Vision take Wanda's hand and slowly pull her in a kiss. Her heart ached, and she wondered what it was like to kiss, or be kissed, for that matter.

She grabbed a french wine, and headed out to the snowy porch, the snowflakes falling on her dress and hair. She leaned on the iron railing, looking out into the frozen woods.

The woods beside the Avengers Compound were known to be mysterious. No one ever went in there, mainly because they were private Stark property, and that  _ no one  _ was allowed to trespass on Tony Stark's stuff, but also because strange things were said to happen . Colette knew all of that was nonsense; she loved the woods, and felt safe in them. And the supposedly 'creepy' things going on in them, was nothing but her and Loki fooling around drunk.

 

It felt freezing outside; Colette sipped the wine, the alcohol being comforting in a painful way, and she loved the strong, burning taste of it. 

"Hey." 

Colette looked to her side and found a man dressed in a crisp suit with gel-slick brown hair. The look on his face immediately planted a deep rooted resentment for him in her mind.

"How may I help you?" She asked in the most polite way possible, not even bothering to budge from her spot.

"I'm Edward Macmillian." He introduced himself, a heavy scottish accent lining his voice as he extended his hand. Colette rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath. 

_ Here we go again. _

"Stoked to meet you." She replied dryly, refusing the handshake,"I take that you know who I am"

"Oh, I do." 

He pulled back his hand and licked his lips. Edward scooted closer to the chef, trailing his arm to her waist, but she walked away a considerable distance, and stared at the moon again.

"Maybe we could get a few drinks together, love." He offered, winking flirtatiously.

"I'm not interested."

"C'mon." Macmillian reasoned, and Colette groaned. She had a spell ready if this creep decided to come any closer,"lt'll be fun. Plus, ya'll have a hot date."

"You're scottish, right?" She asked, wanting nothing more than to get far, far away from this man.

"Aye." He said, with the distinctive heavy accent,"And just so ya know, I'm extremely rich."

"I'm the daughter of the richest man alive." She spat back, and said with pride,"So, pardon my speech-I don't pretty much care."

"Feisty and stubborn." Macmillan raised his eyebrows,"I like that in a woman."

He inched closer to her once again, but the chef swatted him off, and smiled darkly. 

"If you even plan to kiss me," She started, brushing a few snowflakes off the railing,"I'll hex you." 

"Hex?" The Scotsman seemed puzzled. 

"Yeah. Hex." Colette showed him her empty wine glass, and snapped her fingers, the drink filling itself up. She shrugged,"That's perhaps what people don't know about me. It'll be a little secret, between you and me. Or me only, 'cause you probably won't come out alive." 

Edward now looked truly terrified. He took a step backwards, and Colette decided to scare him even more.

"And just so you know, I transform into a huge flaming bird." 

The night certainly wasn't in Edward's favour, because a particularly furious Asgardian prince saw him next to Colette. 

Loki stormed in front of Colette and glared at Macmillan. Following him, a very angry dog growled, baring his teeth.

"You  _ dare _ to flirt with my sister!" 

Colette pulled herself from Loki's grasp and headed forth to whisper in Edward's ear.

"This is the part where you run, _dearie_ ." 

A second later,  _ a _ screaming Edward Macmillian could be seen running across the garden, a pair of snakes and a dog barking at his heel.

"Thank you." Colette looked at Loki, who burst into laughter and bowed, before heading away. Blitz licked at her ankles and pranced off, leaving her lonely once again.

Thirty minutes passed.

Colette was still on the porch, freezing to death. It was her seventh glass of wine, and she was definitely feeling tipsy, the alcohol now gushing through her veins like wildfire. Colette toyed around with the glass and just as she was about to press it to her lips, and lose all hope, it vanished from her hands in a puff of orange sparks.

"I thought I told you  _ not _ have alcohol." A baritone voice said, almost making Colette sober again. Her eyes grew wide;  she would recognize that stern, yet loving voice anywhere.

She turned around, and gasped.

Because Stephen Strange looked different.

_ Very different. _

Stephen’s hair was tousled like he’d messed it up just to lure in her eyes. The deep-blue velvet suit fit him in a way that could be illegal and the buttons tried their best not to pop off as he walked  towards her. The scars of his hand were also visible, criss-crossing his skin, but they didn't shake, courtesy to the silver bracelets around his wrists. His cheekbones looked sharp enough that it seemed they could cut glass. Those striking grey-blue eyes seemed all the more potent, accented with the strands of hair that fell loosely on his forehead and briefly covered the silver streaks at his temples, making him look surprisingly young. Colette was pretty sure Tony Stark was the best for owning tight pants because let's face it, he had assets better than the gods themselves. But by jove, did those pants look delicious on the doctor. Colette felt the strong desire to touch, to covet. She was literally drooling at Stephen's classic look, so much that she didn't hesitate to go forth and run her fingers across his cheekbones, and down to his chest. The sensation of the glow erupted from her eyes almost electrically, sending tingles of warmth down her spine.

"I'm expecting a rather juicy comment after that thorough check out, Coco."  The sorcerer smirked, looking at her fingers grazing the buttons of his shirt.

Colette turned deep red as she snapped out of her trance like state, pulling her digits back to herself. She began to feel extremely cautious about how she looked, and rushed to brush off the snow off herself.

"Well?" Stephen asked yet again, this time in a much more fond tone. The woman looked to the floor as she replied, stammering.

"Yo-u look r-rreally…..uum" Colette fumbled for words, embarrassed.

"Handsome? Breathtaking? Stunningly fascinating?" Stephen suggested, finding her embarrassment adorable.

"Y-yeah that." 

"What, again? C'mon say it." 

Colette looked up at his proud smirk.

"You're feeling really smug aren't you?" She asked him, crossing her arms against her chest.

"Well." The man raised his eyebrows,"I'm the biggest diva you'll ever meet. And by the way, I like being complimented." 

"Okay, genius." Colette laughed lightly, going on her tiptoes to reach up and kiss him on his cheek. A soft red tide spread from Stephen's cheek to his ears, as their eyes glowed.

"Umm, thanks." Stephen muttered as she pulled away,"What were you doing in the snow?"

"Waiting for you." The answer came,"You do realize you came half an hour late, don't you?"

"I'm sorry." Stephen apologised, joining her in staring into the dark,"Wasn't quite decided on what I was gonna wear." 

"If you tell me you were going to come in your mage costume, I'll kill myself." 

"I was not." He contradicted apprehensively, eyes narrowing,"And don't even think about the last part." 

"I was joking, Steph." She smiled at him, letting her fingers entwine with his. The empty space in her heart filled itself with delicious, golden elation.

"You're cold." The sorcerer noted worriedly, feeling the ice-cold touch of her fingers. He gently felt around her wrists, reaching to her elbows.

"Maybe." Colette acknowledged him, her breath condensing in the air,"Probably from the snow." 

"God, are you so chaotic." Stephen huffed. He pulled out the Cloak from thin air and draped it over her, before giving it a firm warning,"Stay still." 

The relic nodded her collar, covering Colette with herself. It morphed into a crimson cape-coat. A gold brooch with the Seal of Vishanti engraved in silver pinned the Cloak's edges at her chest.

"Whuu." She pulled the Cloak tighter around herself, now realising how cold it really was. The snow had begun to fall more heavily, covering up Colette's tulip beds.

"Let's get you in." Stephen led her into the garden, the warmth feeling delicious. Eyes turned toward the two magicians. The gossip and giggling of women could be heard as soon as Stephen stepped in. Colette felt extremely overprotective, holding her sorcerer's arm a bit more tightly. Stephen looked at her surprised, watching her attempt to ward off the other women. 

Colette looked hungrily at the chocolate fountain, its aroma wafting to her nose. 

"Steph." Colette tugged at Stephen's arm,"Steph, look here." 

"What?"

"There's a chocolate fountain!"

"And, you don't know that?" The sorcerer looked amused, ignoring the swooning glances he was getting, most focused on his hands, and his face.

"Of course I do." She grinned back, now pulling him towards the fountain,"Let's go!" 

She dipped a strawberry in the liquid chocolate and handed it to Stephen. 

"Coco" Wanda walked over to her, with a concerned expression,"We've been searching for you." 

"I was out on the porch." She answered, passing the witch a marshmallow. 

"Good Evening, Miss Maximoff." Stephen reached out his hand, quite politely, though even Wanda seemed startled. Having seen the sorcerer in his dull robes had become such a regular habit, that he looked completely alien, but not lesser rugged and handsome in the suit.

"Good Evening…...Stephen." Wanda eyed him up and down, and then looked over to Colette. 

"You were right about him." She whispered into the chef's ear, making her blush. 

"Excuse me?" Stephen looked at the two women skeptically. 

"Uhm." Colette coughed, and helped herself to a slice of cake,"Nothing." 

"Strange!" Thor slapped the literal lights out off Stephen, leaving him wincing. The sorcerer stumbled forward, eyes wide.

"Umm, hey Thor." He muttered back, running his now definitely sore back. Colette giggled, but she too got the prince's bone-crushing hug. 

"Well, Strange. We'd thought you'd never come." 

Stephen's expression changed when he heard that voice. He felt jealousy, boiling up in his heart, oh and hatred, deep-rooted hatred. He turned around, and just as he'd expected,

**_Steve_ **

America's Golden Boy, looking handsome as ever. Stephen clenched his jaw, and tried his best effort to not fist his palms, though the faint beginnings of a disk formed around his wrists.

"Steven Grant Rogers." He said, his voice almost a growl, his eyes narrowed,"What a surprise." 

"It's Steve." The captain smiled jovially, grabbing a drink,"No need to call me by my whole name, Stephe-" 

" _ Doctor  _ Stephen Strange." Stephen cut him off venomously,"While you don't, I prefer to be addressed by the title I earned, with  _ quite the effort _ ."

Stephen had his sling-ring ready at hand, determined to make Steve fall endlessly in the dark dimension and leave him there. He held Colette's hand possessively, just in case the other man tried to take her away.

Steve looked quite offended, but Stephen didn't care. Colette was his, nobody else's but his. And he would keep it that way until he died. Before matters could get any worse, a soft music filled up the garden.

Stephen forgot about the other man as soon as he felt the envy. He turned to Colette and offered her his arm.

"May I have this dance?" 

Colette smiled. She locked her arm with his, as he led her out to the centre. Both of them earned enough jealous looks, and Colette found it very entertaining to see Edward Macmillan's pale, straight face when they glided past him. 

"I know you taught me, but I'm still not sure." Colette said, as the sorcerer's arm snaked around her waist and the other held up her hand,"You might want to caution yourself." 

"Chillax, Coco." Stephen replied breezily,"I'll handle a few kicks." 

" 'Chillax'?" Colette asked, amused at his choice of words,"Are you sure you're the Stephen Strange I know?" 

"Of course I am." 

"The one who got both his M.D. and PhD at the same time?" 

"Yup. The one and only." 

"Y'know, I had to check." Colette smirked up at him,"Chillax isn't a word you use quite often." 

"Chilling out with a hormonal teenager makes  a man quite the demon." Stephen answered, raising his eyebrows comically.

"And you're quite the saint, aren't you?" 

"Oh, I wouldn't call myself a saint, darling. I never have." Stephen grinned boyishly, drinking in the embarrassment radiating from the woman,"Chaotic is more me." 

"If that includes having extremely long legs!" Colette groaned as she looked up at him, her neck hurting,"I mean seriously, Steph. My head is going to fall off if I continue looked at you like this." 

"You  _ are  _ wearing heels, aren't you?" The sorcerer asked, looking down at her as if she were some child. Well, she  _ was _ a child, compared to him at least. Stephen was nearly 16 years older than her.

"I  _ am _ ." She lifted up her ankles to show the shimmering white pumps on her feet.

"It amuses me how short you are." Stephen's eyes widened,"Are you sure you're 25? Not crossing 18, much?"

"Of course I'm 25!" She snapped back,"And I'm  **not** that short!" 

"Well, I'm not too tall either." Stephen contradicted, then pointed to Loki and Thor,"The Odinsons are taller." 

"How tall  _ are _ you?" Colette asked, swaying to the music,"I'd like to know, thank you very much."

"6 Feet 3 inches." 

"Wow." Colette looked at him in mock-surprise,"I thought you were 5'1', 6 Feet wannabe." 

"Proven wrong." Stephen smiled smugly,"What's your height?"

"I'm not gonna say!" Colette looked absolutely mortified,"You'll laugh."

"No, I won't." 

"Yes, you will."

"No." 

"Yes."

"No."

" 'Kay fine!" Colette gave up, but turned beet red,"Jus-Just promise me you won't tell it to anyone." 

"I promise." 

"Soooo." Colette took in a deep breath,"5 Feet 4 inches." 

"Permission to laugh." 

"Denied." 

"Please?" 

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"Fine."

The sorcerer burst into laughter, causing a few heads to turn their way. Colette rolled her eyes, but still glad to hear his deep voice, which sounded like the crashing of waves against the shore.

"Are you done?" She asked, clearly annoyed.

"It's just that," Stephen snorted,"You're so tiny!" 

"It's not exactly a compliment, you know." Colette frowned, already forgetting what that they were dancing.

"I'm sorry." Stephen apologized, letting his eyes wander over her, wanting to remember every inch of her look that night. Though Colette was fairly flat-chested, a trait surgeon-Stephen wouldn't have preferred much, but the amount of skin she was showing made Stephen's cheeks burn. He looked at her like she was the sun, drinking in every detail, from the fierce flames in her kohl-lined eyes to the way the tight dress clung to her slender body. The Cloak draped over her extended down to her legs, occasionally sweeping the floor, and getting caught in their legs, causing both of them to stumble now and then. 

Stephen smiled.

* * *

The rest of the evening was spent out on the porch again, but this time they weren't the only people there. The crowd had decided to admire the beauty of the frozen over lake and the wood, and the pale crescent moon which smiled a Cheshire grin in the dark of the night.

The moonlight glimmered on Colette's face, highlighting the curve of her jawbone. They'd moved closer, fingers entwined as they stood against the railing. 

Colette leaned against the sorcerer's side, shivering slightly as a cold breeze blew by. 

It was just past ten in the night when Stephen said,"It's snowing quite heavily." 

Colette blinked a couple of times before saying,"It is." 

"Do you want to go inside?" Stephen asked, glancing over her open shoulders, now covered by the Cloak,"It must be quite cold for you." 

"Yeah." She shrugged her shoulders, caving closer to him, and whined,"I don't know what part of me wanted me to wear this dress. It's so uncomfortable!"

For some reason Stephen found this hilarious and started laughing, laughing like he had on the day when the Cloak had wrapped around Colette and held her levitating five feet off the floor.

"Do you want to go?" She asked, though she never, ever wanted him to go. She wanted to carry on gazing out of the porch with Stephen, and talking with Stephen, and over all just  _ being  _ with Stephen.  She didn't want to think about how her heart would break if he went away, she didn't want to think about how close they were, and how much she wanted to say those three words that were trapped in the endless void of her mind.

"God, no." Stephen replied, wrapping his arm around her. Colette nuzzled into the heat he was providing, wanting very much a nice hot cup of coffee.

"Can I ask you something?" The chef asked just at random. 

"Sure." 

"What was the worst day of your life?" She asked. and the man stiffened up, looking up at the ceiling of the porch top.

"I've had a lot of bad days, Colette." Stephen said,"When my little sister drowned, when my brother went insane and murdered my parents, when I got sent to the orphanage, when I lost my hands in that accident...It's a long list." 

Suddenly, all the pain that Colette had gone through seemed nothing, nothing compared to what Stephen had experienced. She looked visibly shaken. The aloofness, the snarky personality was just a mask hiding a broken man. He had all the right to be egoistic. No one deserved to have a childhood that like that.

"I'm sorry." She apologized,"I didn't know you'd gone through so much." 

"No, it's okay." Stephen patted her shoulder, smiling softly at her,"The worst day of my life, let's see.."

The man was quiet for a moment, but then he glanced at her, sighed and said.

"The day you chose Rogers." 

Colette was expecting a lot of things. This wasn't one of them. He continued, regardless, oblivious to the fact that she was staring at him with her mouth open, in disbelief? 

"That was the day I lost my best friend, and I knew I could never have you back. I was all alone again. Because you chose him.." 

What the sorcerer said next, shot through Colette like a bullet. 

".... _ over me. _ "

"Oh no." She shook her head almost instantly, placing her hand on his chest,"I'm afraid you've been mistaken."

"Mistaken?" Stephen repeated, staring down at her with those addictive eyes of his, beautiful and intense and confused, and oh so Stephen Strange.

"Yes." Colette looked a mix between worried, and sorry,"It wasn't what it seemed like." 

"But you, and-" Stephen's voice went from dolefully silky to ice-cold in a drastic second," _ Steve _ .." 

"Yes, it was Steve. And he was going on a date." She tried to explain,"But not with me." 

"What?" Stephen asked, confused, trying hard to piece things together. He was quite sure he  _ wasn't _ hallucinating when he saw it happen. A part of him didn't even want the explanation, but the other half wanted it  _ desperately _ .

"It's Steve and Nat who're dating." She said, smiling softly at his misunderstanding,"Not me and him." 

"So, he's not your boyfriend?"

"No." Colette chuckled incredulously, flashing her brilliant smile that Stephen loved so much,"Why would I be in a relationship with my own brother?" 

"But you were just so close-" 

Colette burst into laughter, causing the brief beginnings of a smile breaking on Stephen's lips. The Cloak lifted its edge slowly, feeling the radiating laugh spread across its fabric.

"God, didn't I know you were so possessive!" She grinned widely,"Steve is absolutely  _ terrible  _ at flirting. I was just making sure he wouldn't make a fool out of himself on the date. Both he and Nat have been looking forward to it for months." 

"Steven Rogers, terrible at flirting." Stephen sounded amused, though his heart leapt in joy,"That's surprising." 

"Oh, you wouldn't know what type of a noob he's at the affairs of the heart." Colette said, smiling wholeheartedly. 

She snorted,"Wait a moment." 

Colette frowned and looked at him in shock,"You got Hanahaki because you thought I was with Steve?" 

"Maybe." Stephen shrugged his shoulders obliviously. Colette looked at him with a worried expression, cuddling closer to him, resting her head atop his chest.

"You almost died." She whispered, audible enough for only him to hear, and the Cloak if it wanted,"And if you did, I would've lost  _ my  _ only friend." 

Stephen just listened, stroking her hair and rested his cheek on her head. She continued, softly, voice barely a whisper and laced with melancholy.

"Do you know why, Stephen? Why I trust you? Why I feel like living every day of my life after I met you? Why it's always been you?"

"No." Colette wasn't smiling anymore. She didn't look like she playing around. Instead, she looked done, voice filled with sincerity.

_ "Because I love you." _

Time stood still.

Four words, echoing around Stephen’s head, four words that sounded entirely foreign in that silky, soft voice, four words that suddenly explained absolutely everything that Colette had ever done for Stephen.

_ Because I love you. _

Four words that made Stephen realise why. Why Colette always stuck around the Sanctum, comforting him from the loneliness, why she had put herself prey to Mordo so that he and the rest of the sorcerer s wouldn't get hurt, why she cured him from the disease that could have been his last ailment on Earth. Four words that showed Stephen just why he seemed to be so important to the woman standing so close to him that he could see the flecks of gold in her eyes. Four words that showed Stephen just why the woman who he was pining for with ache so deep it caused him constant pain, had opened up her home, her heart and her life for him. Four words that showed Stephen just why he was the exception to Colette Stark's rule.

_ Because I love you. _

Colette looked nervous, slightly apprehensive, and Stephen wanted to say something back, tell her how he reciprocated her feelings, how much he'd wanted her, how much he loved her, how long he had wanted her and adored her, but nothing was coming out. All he could think about were those four words. 

_ Because I love you. _

Four words that Stephen had never, ever thought he would be the first to hear coming from Colette's mouth, particularly directed at him. Not that she hadn't said it before, bit that had seemed like a faint memory, barely real. He wasn't even conscious to hear it then, but now it seemed unreal too, too dreamlike to actually happen. Words that would change their lives forever, four words that Stephen would never, ever getting tired of hearing.

_ Because I love you. _

The woman in question took in a breath, but even that seemed loud. Stephen just stared at her, lips parted, absolutely stunned. She flushed deep pink, letting out the secret which God knew how long was trapped in the chambers of her heart.

"Yo-You love me?" He said, though it sounded stupid to his own ears. Colette nodded, still blushing.  The sorcerer blinked, processing the input of information.

"I do." She answered, now becoming fully aware of how close they were. The scent of Stephen's cologne was stronger than ever. She could feel his breath warm on her cheeks as he looked down at her from his height, arm at her waist.

"And I'm sorry for not realizing it in the first place, because I never expected to be anyone's best friend, let alone to be truly loved by someone else." 

"It's crazy, believe me." Stephen's breath made her spine tingle. He leaned down a bit, so as to make their foreheads touch, and Colette made no effort to pull back.

"Because it's too fictional to become Colette Stark's beau?" 

"It was considered to be impossible." Stephen breathed, now noses touching, lips inches apart,"To make Colette Stark fall in love with you." 

"You've made it possible."

 

And just as they were going to close their eyes, the chef pulled back to sneeze, and looked above. She blinked, puzzled.

"Is that…." 

The sorcerer looked up, and sure enough, there were small, pointy green, leathery leaves, with red waxy berries forming out of thin air atop their heads.

"Mistletoe." He said softly.

"Growing on us?" She asked, now close enough to see each hair making up Stephen's beard.

"You know what they say about mistletoe and people standing under it." Stephen whispered as he glanced down from her blinding eyes to her lips,"Want to see if it's true?" 

"Mhmm" 

He leaned in; Colette closed her eyes. And then it was bliss. A burning sensation through her eyes erupted as her lips slotted with Stephen's, as if made for each other. His lips were soft against her chaffed ones, as soft as she'd imagined them to be, and his beard slightly tickled her chin.

Stephen's grip on her waist became possessive, and he pulled her flush against himself, his other hand up in her hair, stroking it. Though he wanted to go further, to snake his tongue into her mouth and find out what she tasted like, he decided to go slow, having her experience it for the first time soft and sensual, so as to enjoy every second of the kiss.  

Colette melted into the kiss, the adrenaline rushing through her veins like wildfire. The glow in her eyes had never felt so strong, that she chose not to open her eyes, lest be blinded by the brilliant light Stephen's eyes were emitting. She put her arms around his neck, in a way to get more contact. The Cloak lifted itself from the chef's shoulders and wrapped around both of them, bringing them closer. 

It was soft and tender, nothing short of perfect. Colette finally understood why kissing was so overrated. But now, she felt it was  _ underrated _ . She wanted it to stretch for hours, breathing in Stephen's scent, the delicious gene hold he had on her, and the soft noises he was making.

Neither of them noticed the fiery sparks gaining momentum around them, nor the shocked gasps and hushed whispers that arose from the crowd.

And just as Colette thought her first kiss couldn't get any better, a thundering loud voice shouted from across the garden.

"COLETTE STARK, WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" 

The couple's eyes grew wide, and Colette realized about the one person she'd forgotten was there at the gala. 

 

**Tony Stark.**

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, the first kiss after 20 goddamn chapters!
> 
> Tony Stark Dad Mode has been activated.


	31. Author's Note

Hi, fellas. It's me. 

I just wanna know, should I continue this story? I haven't been getting any response from my readers. Please let me know, so that I can start on a completely new one. 

 

Your Author.

 

[ Edit: I got one okay! Please give me more! ]


	32. Of Blood, Tears and Angry Fathers.

Tony didn't really bother about the gala. 

In fact, he didn't bother about many things. It'd be a long list of he were to list down all the things he didn't care about. 

But, there were a few things about which he  **did** . 

Tony was beside the pine, sipping on a drink and chatting to Rhodey when the people gasped, and a collective aww arose. He flipped around, and what he saw, made him clench his jaw in anger. 

The mechanic felt his eyes burn as he saw his daughter get snogged by that utter bastard. He threw the glass to his side and stormed up to the two shameless individuals.

 

"COLETTE STARK WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" 

 

Colette pulled away from Stephen almost immediately, eyes wide in shock and embarrassment. Tony grabbed her wrist harshly pulled her sharply behind him. 

"Dad! I can explain!" Colette whimpered, walking quickly behind, wincing on the strong hold he had on her wrist,"Please!"

"Tony, what are you doing?!" Pepper frowned her brows, looking at her husband nauseously. Tony pulled his crying daughter across the garden and up into the Compound.

Stephen stared at the scene for a good few seconds, and hurried after them, avoiding the glances he was getting. The other Avengers, speechless, followed Iron Man and the chef.

"Dad!" Tears slipped down Colette's lashes now, smudging the dark kohl lining her scarlet eyes,"Just listen to m-"

"PARTY'S OVER!" Tony bellowed out to the surprised crowded, stopping for a moment, "So wrap it up and go fuck yourselves!" 

Loki looked pissed,  _ very  _ pissed. He stood cursing under his breath violently, his emerald eyes glaring at the other sorcerer. 

Things were  _ definitely _ going to get messy.

* * *

Colette sat sobbing on her bed, her golden tears drenching the turquoise gown. Her family was gathered around her, with both Loki and Tony fuming. But the others didn't say a single thing, even Blitz hid under the bed with his tail between his legs. No one dared to interrupt Tony in the dangerous mood that he was in. The Cloak was perched on Peter's shoulders, not a single movement from either. Colette couldn't even bring herself to look at Tony anymore, and apparently that was all he needed. 

"Would somebody mind telling me, what in the fuck I saw back then?" Tony asked angrily.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered softly, through sobs.

Colette felt like her heart was going to shatter into a million pieces.

"No-no wait, let me get this straight." Tony said, voice rising several octaves,"You and him are together now? How do you expect me to accept this, Colette? HOW?!"

"STARK!" Stephen countered, anger lining his voice,"She's clearly crying, will you stop that?" 

"Oh, fuck off." Loki snapped at him,"I didn't expect this from you, Strange. I trusted you. I trusted you to look after my sister while we were gone. But instead, you go hook up with her, the vulnerable creature she is, and expect  _ us  _ to act all peachy about it!" 

"But, was that really necessary?" Stephen shouted back in his baritone voice,"She's already broken. AND YOU'RE BREAKING HER EVEN MORE!"

"Well maybe, I don't know, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF HER?!"

Tony tapped his chest and the nanoparticles formed the suit on his arm. He pointed his arm to Stephen's head, photon blaster hot to strike. And he was just threatening, but Loki seemed to have lost his patience just a tad bit more. His emerald green suit transformed into his armor and he threw his dagger at the defenseless sorcerer, aimed square at his heart. 

Stephen closed his eyes, making no effort to defend himself in any way. He knew that the dagger would do no fatal harm to him, and he could always heal the gnarly wound once he reached back to the Sanctum. 

But the penetrating pain he expected never came. To his horror, Stephen opened his eyes and sure enough, there was a trembling pale hand which had snatched the weapon from the air. 

 

"I can't let you do that." 

 

Colette Stark gripped the dagger by the blade, its sharp edge cutting through her soft skin as golden blood lined the edge and pooled at the hilt of the dagger, dripping down onto the floor in a steady stream. She had had enough of being treated like a child. Enough of being told around. And she wasn't letting the only window in her life that allowed entry past it to get taken away from her. 

"If you hurt Stephen." Colette said, her voice still breathy and breaking from all that crying, but soft and dangerous, barely loud enough to be heard, though it made both Tony and Loki back off, and filled the rest of the Avengers with sheer terror,"If you harm him in any way, I'm going to hurt you back."

Really, there were so many ways in which she could hurt them; in ways they had no concept of. Colette now had the means to do great harm, psychological if not physical. She was beyond caring, her meek state of mind now morphing into one of pure rage, and she was determined to make them pay if they tried to separate her from the one man she loved deeply. It was only that she lacked the motivation. And Tony and Loki had enough piled up their sleeves.

"And I won't hesitate," Colette whispered, her brilliant eyes emitting a bloody scarlet glow, and she meant it, her eyes fixating themselves on the two Avengers,"If you damage him, I promise you'll regret it."

She tightened her grip on the dagger, causing it to cut deeper into her flesh, but she didn't flinch a bit. It was the unadulterated outrage and fear leaping in her eyes, shadowing the humanity that once resided so dominatingly there, that made Loki shudder.

Colette dropped the dagger, causing a loud clank as it fell in the pool of blood forming on the floor. She opened her wings, tearing through her dress, spreading them defensively in front of Stephen, as large crystal fans appeared in her palms and the tiles of the floor separating her and Stephen from the others went up in flames.

For the first time since Ultron, the Avengers actually felt scared. Tony actually looked shocked, and he withdrew the suit, slowly. Colette looked like a creature he wouldn't imagine in his wildest dreams. And what frightened him the most was the realisation that she wasn't anymore the little girl who'd hide behind him, afraid of the monster under her bed. She wasn't the little girl who'd cry for ice-cream on Sundays anymore.

_ And Tony missed that.  _

It was the warm feeling that he felt when she'd look up to him as if he  _ made  _ the universe. It was the feeling of being a father to the tiny unsuspecting creature that would run around the house that Tony missed so badly at this moment. She didn't seem like a small girl now, oh no, she looked like a creature Tony would never,  _ ever  _ imagine. It struck fear into his heart, a feeling that he'd learned to block out for a very,  _ very _ long time.

Pepper just stared, and maintained a considerable distance from her  _ daughter _ , so did the other Avengers. She was stupefied, rooted to the floor with shock, eyes blown wide. She didn't want to believe what she was seeing, but she didn't want to unsee it either. 

 

_ Was this the baby they'd picked up from the Irish Highlands twenty-five years ago? _

 

No. Pepper tried to push that thought away. She'd always known that Colette might not be human, or any creature on the Earth, for that matter. She'd never cared for what she was, until now. Pepper, deep down, just for a brief second, regretted it? No, she reminded herself. 

 

_ This is my daughter _ .

 

But Pepper felt her heart clench, in a way that she hadn't felt before. She feared, that in Colette's outburst of overprotectiveness, she might actually, without any intention, kill someone from her own family. And if she did, she would never forgive herself; she would regret it for years. 

And Pepper wasn't going to let that happen.

"Colette. Listen to me." 

The chef's ears perked up, and her eyes drifted to the literally trembling woman approaching her step by step. 

"Coco. Honey," Pepper said softly, in the most soothing voice she could muster. One that she'd use to tell a young Colette bedtime stories,"Would you mind, umm- turning down the fire? It's getting terribly hot in here."

Colette looked at her mother, and her pupils dilated. She muttered a spell to extinguish the flames, and put away her fans. She looked around in guilt as the burnt room began to repair itself.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered, falling to her knees on the floor, cupping her face in her hands,"I didn't mean to do that, any of that." 

Tony glanced over to Stephen, sticking his middle finger at the sorcerer, and went over to console his daughter. There seemed no point scolding her now. She seemed miserable enough.

"What had you done to my daughter?" Tony hissed to Stephen, who looked back at him with a totally mortified look.

"I didn't-" 

"..do anything." Someone completed for the doctor. The Avengers turned round to see an Asian man step out from a fiery portal. 

"What?" Loki asked, squinting his eyes.

"He didn't do anything." Wong repeated, this time quite sternly, fixing a dry look on the god. "It's a display of dominance shown by a phoenix to protect its mate. It's quite instinctual, actually." 

"Instinctual." Vision said again,"Do you imply, that Miss Stark's species perform such an exhibit in order to induce a sense of initiating courtship between the sexual partner of choice?"

Both Stephen and Colette turned a violent shade a crimson, as Tony looked absolutely flabbergasted with brutal image the bot had now cemented into his mind.

"That maybe, uhh, one way to describe it." Wong showed the slight indications of embarrassment, but the expertly put on uncaring face hid it,"But I'd rather explain it as a display to threaten a potential enemy. In this case, I think that may be you." 

"Me?" Loki asked incredulously, amused even,"I wasn't threatening her." 

"You almost killed Strange." 

"Yeah. But it was him.  _ Not  _ her." 

Natasha shot the God a fleeting glance,"I don't think you exactly know what feeling threatened means in an animalistic way." 

"You're right." Wanda agreed, finally having to courage to speak up in the row,"I don't think he does."

"Anyway," Wong sighed, absolutely done with the childish behaviour the Avengers were putting up. Honestly, he'd expected them to be much more mature, assuming that years of fighting villains ought to knock some maturity into them. But now, he deduced that they collectively shared a single braincell. "It's time that you stop  _ threatening _ her. Because if you do, she'll unintentionally burn the entire Compound down." 

"Who are you?" Bucky asked.

 

"Wong." The elder sorcerer answered, and quite proudly continued, pointing at Stephen,"Or, you may know me as the one responsible for him." 

"Then, you are highly irresponsible." Loki snapped,"Have you any idea what your  _ ward  _ did today?" 

"I do, I suppose." Wong said, not a bit unamused,"He did say he was going to kiss Colette. And for your information, he's  **not** my ward."

"Why are you here?" Stephen asked, closing his eyes.

"To save your sorry ass." 

Wong turned to Tony with a dead expression,"Now, Stark. I know that you may not like it-" 

"Like it?" Tony thundered, the inner furnace lighting up once more,"Do you have any idea how young my daughter is? How vulnerable she can be? And this wizard comes straight up snogging her." 

"It was mutual." Stephen cut in coldly,"And built up." 

"So you're telling me this shit happened in the time I left you to babysit her?" Tony shouted, clenching his fists,"It was the worst decision I ever took. You sent that Mordo dude after her, and now you hook up with her." 

Stephen was visibly shaking. How he longed to send this man free falling endlessly. 

"Stark." Wong interrupted the row,"I think you ought to listen to what I have to say." 

"What?"

"That this was supposed to happen." 

Tony shot the sorcerer a look of disgust.

"What do you mean?"

"Colette is a phoenix." Wong said, muttering a spell to create a hologram,"I suppose all of you know that by now. In the history of the universe, there have been only six phoenixes. The Mystic Arts speak of an ancient prophecy, made by the first phoenix, which states of the 7th one in the bloodline, to be bonded to the most powerful of the dragons. The pair is known to the world as the Yin-Yang."

"The Yin-Yang…" Pepper echoed, and pulled out a locket bearing the Chinese symbol,"Do you mean this?" 

"Yes." Wong nodded at the woman,"It is the symbol of undying love in Chinese culture. Phoenixes are as real as they can be; you've got a living, breathing one in front of you. The dragons-" 

"..are extinct." Thor completed, taking everyone by surprise,"They have been dead for a thousand years." 

Wong continued,"Though, do you know why the Ancient One took you in, Stephen?" 

The doctor looked at Wong incredulously, now realising the pieces of what the other magician was trying to imply.

"Because she knew that you were the last dragon." 

"I'm not letting these two prance away to a romantic wonderland, just because some shit-ass prophecy wants them to." Tony snorted, clearly not having any 

of the 'story' Wong was spinning.

"It cannot be avoided." Wong said gravely,"And believe me, I care for Colette as much as you do." 

"You care?' Loki snapped, eyes burning in fury,"Who are you, to even care?" 

"The Ancient One entrusted me to make sure her daughter stays safe, and abides by the prophecy." The old sorcerer showed the brief signs of anger, and just a hint of remorse, if you looked close enough,"You know nothing of it, so better not indulge into those matters."

"But, we found Colette on the Irish Highlands," Pepper said, softly at that,"With no one in sight; swaddled in a blanket." 

"That was what it was prepared to seem!" Wong snapped, causing the woman to back off,"She was placed there!" 

The entire room looked at the concerned chef, who had her lips pursed in an expression undecipherable. She seemed on the verge of a breakdown.

"My own mother," She said in a hushed tone, lips up in an unbelieving smile, which was breaking fast,"left me on top of a deserted cliff, with nothing." 

Wong shook his head, in a failing attempt to stop her thoughts,"She didn't mean to-"

" 'She got adopted because her real parents hated her'; 'Who loves her? Her own mother left her' 'She's just some urchin Tony Stark felt sorry for.' Explains a lot." Colette sniffed, cutting him off. She stared down at her bloody palm. The blood was dripping in a steady stream, and she was losing a lot more of it than what was considerable for her health. 

The chef barely noticed when Tony shot her neck with a tranquiliser, and she felt her world go black, as she fell back into Stephen's arms.

Stephen stood there, unmoving, speechless, trying to swallow the information he had been presented with. He looked at the fainting woman in his arms as her eyes fluttered for a moment, and she took in a raspy breath, before her eyes rolled upwards.

Pepper gasped.

And Tony? He just felt guilty.

* * *

 


	33. Mother.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ancient One. 
> 
>  
> 
> That's it. It's a small chapter, and I was bored. Pleeeeaaaase don't mind it.

Stephen needed answers. Answers to questions that were trapped in the chambers of his heart. Questions he knew only one person could answer. 

The sorcerer opened a portal to the Sanctum's library, and rushed his fingers across the spines of volumes. On finding the one on Astral Projection, he pulled it out and flipped through the pages.

_ Spiritual Projection _ .

"Okay, Levi." He said, turning to the Cloak. The relic perked up its collar, listening attentively to her master,"My soul is going to be going to the Spiritual Realm for a while. I need you to look after my body, okay?" 

The Cloak of Levitation shook its collar in agreement, and wrapped around the sorcerer in an embrace. 

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be fine." Stephen snorted, smilingly,"You don't need to mother-hen me."

The Cloak left him be as he began to chant the spell. Stephen felt his eyelids close, and fell back. The Cloak broke his fall, catching his body gracefully. 

* * *

Stephen Strange opened his eyes to find himself in an endless grassy plane. He felt the grass beneath him, feeling it to be very real. He stood, and looked around. There was no one in sight for miles, just acres of the most perfect plain vegetation. 

"Fancy seeing you here, Dr Strange." The female voice that was so familiar ghosted in Stephen's ear. He turned around and sure enough, was the woman in the yellow robes she'd died in standing in front of him, with a wide smile etched on her face. 

"How do I know it's you?" He asked, his voice breaking, as his lips formed the question he never wanted to ask, but it came out regardless. The Spiritual Realm was known for being deceptive, and he didn't want to take chances. 

"I showed you the lighting on the day I died." She said softly.

"It is you." Stephen stretched out his hand, in an attempt to touch her. But his fingers went through hers, and he looked at her with curiosity.

"I'm a spirit. Barely a fragment of the once living person." The woman said apologetically, looking at the brief attempt for contact,"There are no materialistic entities in this dimension." 

"Why did you do it?" The doctor asked with indignation in his voice, anger bubbling up,"Why did you leave your own daughter to fend for herself?!"

"I had to." The Ancient One said remorsefully,"It was heartbreaking from me; you don't know." 

"The poor girl is broken!!?" Stephen shouted with venom, stepping closer to the spectre, pointing at it,"Do you have any idea how skinny she is? Her skin's as pale as a vampire's, keeps drinking without stopping, has nightmares she wakes up from crying, gets stalked for enough times to last a lifetime, well the list's endless! Do you not care for your own blood daughter?!" 

The dead woman looked at the grass, and if you looked close enough, a single tear from her right eye slipped into her lashes, tracing the curvature of her cheek. Stephen saw his mentor weep. It was now that he realised how similar, and at the same time how starkly different Colette looked to her mother. They had the same pale complexion, and the skinny frame. Colette had her mother's soft cheekbones, but her lips and cheeks were fuller, and her eyes more expressive. The Ancient One also lacked the stunning scarlet tresses her daughter possessed, and the lovely crimson irises.

"I gave Colette to the Starks for a reason." The Ancient One whispered, though it echoed loud enough for him to hear,"Life isn't easy when you're the Sorcerer Supreme. You wanted to know why I survived so long? I am, or rather was, a phoenix too." 

"But Kaecilius said-" The man reasoned, though he thought himself too naïve to have not guessed the obvious fact. 

"I concealed my immortality from Kamar-Taj. The only ones aware of me being a phoenix were Wong, Master Hamir and Mordo. Well, the last one  _ found  _ it out." 

"He came after Colette." Stephen deadpanned dryly, his voice monotonous, though a bit indignant,"He tortured her, for days. And here you are, doing nothing about it." 

"I would have done something if I  _ could _ ." The Ancient One snapped lightly,"Mordo was always the ambitious one, I've sensed. He was one of the reasons I sent Colette away." 

"What're the other ones?" 

"There was a dimensional being who caused havoc for years. He hid in the Spiritual Realm when he found out I about what I really was, knowing that this was the one place in which I couldn't hunt him down."

"Why?" Stephen asked.

"Phoenixes are creatures of the living." She explained,"We cannot enter the domain of death. To hunt the being down, I had to strip my powers off. A phoenix's powers do not simply dissipate into the air. We need to pass them to the younger generation of our species." 

Stephen raised his eyebrows in embarrassment,"So you had- um..you know what... _ the thing _ ." 

"Oh no." The woman laughed breezily, making the sorcerer to smile as well,"Phoenixes do not need a male partner to produce offspring. I simply conjured the eternal fire and dropped a drop of my blood into it. It is,  _ quite  _ an easier way to reproduce than the way mortals do. I passed on all my magic to the infant. After that, I was nothing but a mere human. Though the threat was eliminated, I couldn't the baby with me. It was too dangerous a life I was living. If anybody else found out that I had a daughter, her life could be in great danger. Well, that wasn't the only thing preventing me from keeping her." 

"The oath." Stephen said knowingly, and looked at his mentor sympathetically. The grin wiped off her face, and her eyes filled with an emptiness similar to the one he'd seen in Colette's,"It prevents all attachments and feelings towards any other being." 

"Yes." She smiled sadly, barely in a whisper,"I had no choice. I looked for the only family I knew who would keep her. The Starks seemed trustworthy enough." 

"I'm sorry." Stephen said, apologetically. The Ancient One looked just so miserable. For the first time, Stephen actually saw her as the extremely human and emotional person that she was, not the stern teacher he was so accustomed to. Her cold, hard eyes softened, and Stephen could catch a glimpse of the scarlet that was once there in her irises, now an emotionless grey. 

"Tell her I did it for her own good." She whispered, tears rolling down her eyes,"And protect her, Stephen.  _ Please _ . She loves you, very much. There's an evil the world that will try to kill her and break her in every way possible…"

And just as he was about to ask another question, the sorceress tried to cup his hand, in hers, though Stephen felt nothing, just an icy gust of wind cover his hands.

"Just keep her safe, it's a request." 

"I will." Stephen replied, gently smiling. He looked at his teacher in an expression of admiration and fondness. 

"Is that what everyone's called you?" He questioned, just at random," 'The Ancient One', is that what it's been?"

"No." The sorceress snivelled,"The other masters started calling me that because I lived too long. My name was….. Eleanor. Eleanor Ó Floinn. Wong knew it though, I trusted him." 

"Ó Floinn.." Stephen repeated,"Celtic, though it has medieval roots, I suppose. For how long exactly did you live?" 

"Five thousand years." 

Stephen grinned, widely and pure," 'Never ask a woman her age.' Well, I see where that comes from." 

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> So, I hope you guys like this 'cause it's my first time writing a fic.  
> EVER.  
> The ideas are all mine and I KNOW there might be other fics with storylines similiar to mine.  
> My English isn't that good, so if you spot any mistakes, please let me know.
> 
> The first chapter is basically about Colette's past. This is my AU, so no contradictions please. Loki is much more vulnerable now because of emotional trauma from being an Frost Giant.
> 
> Stephen will be introduced in the next chapter with a whole lot of others.
> 
> P.S. Please don't be mad at me for posting small chapters with a lot of dialogues. As i told you, I'm not an experienced writer.


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